Standing up to corruption

Corruption threatens Pakistan’s sovereignty, reducing us to a satellite-status state of the US.

Financial corruption is rampant in present day Pakistan. It has eaten the financial backbone and has threatened Pakistan’s sovereignty, reducing us to a satellite-status state of the US. Whether in the form of the Kerry-Lugar Bill or IMF diktats, we have lost our independence. Whilst the government may deny the presence of corruption, its trademark has become so entrenched that even Saudi King Abdullah talks of rotting heads and decaying bodies. Whilst Transparency International has been at the brunt of attacks for declaring Pakistan the 34^th most corrupt country in the world, this it is not the issue. Governments who are busy looting don’t like messengers of truth.

The type of corruption present in Pakistan can be classified into three types. First, there is one which destroys the system of merit because most people who are hired for public sector organisations tend to be hired for other reasons. Second, there is corruption through which Pakistan’s precious natural resources are misused. This happens often when large infrastructure projects are made. The third relates to procurement — when money is paid to other parties to secure deals. This can be found in the sugar, wheat and rental power sectors, or the Hajj scandal; in the purchase of medicines for dengue fever patients or in the mismanagement of flood relief aid.

The Public Accounts Committee of the National Assembly is making some ground to uncover the dirt. The basic accountability process, however, needs to start from parliament itself. If corruption could be detected and checked, then perhaps tax-paying citizens wouldn’t have to be burdened with even more taxes. The ongoing fiasco surrounding the reformed GST fiasco which has rocked parliament is one such example of this. It is clear that overburdening those already in the tax net should not be an acceptable policy tool. With increasing interest rates and a faltering financial system, it is clear that the only remedy left is a clean-up operation of corruption. But that is only possible when there is a will.

The answer then lies in public pressure groups on each corruption case that is highlighted in the media. Almost like an anti-corruption brigade that doesn’t rest till some satisfactory action is taken. I propose that the most damaging cases should be highlighted and affirmative pressure groups be formed, with participation from each political party.

Certain reports of the potential of natural resources need to come to the public domain as well. Only then the loss that Pakistan is suffering, as a result of corruption in infrastructure projects, will be clear. Similarly, the opportunity loss of not having merit-based postings in key public-sector organisations needs to be calculated. The underground economy which has been created as a result of bribes needs to be tabulated as well. We can then reach a consensus on how badly Pakistan is being deprived of its true potential.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 2^nd, 2010.