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Corruption In Pakistan: Past And Present

By Nazia Nazar

20 March, 2012
Countercurrents.org

It is said, ‘corruption is the mother of all evils’; it looks true if we go through the past 60 years’ history of Pakistan. Corruption has dire consequences; it has not only eaten away a large portion of the national exchequer but also thrown us into the abyss of moral decline. It is a matter of concern that it is not considered as evil but has become a norm in the society. Scandals regarding corruption, misappropriation, plundering of billions from banks and other federal, provincial and semi-government departments abound. The evolution of corruption is as old as the society evolved from tribal to nation state. Even before partition there were cases of corruption, but emergence of organized corruption has its origin with partition of the sub-continent and birth of this country, when influential people had grabbed properties through bogus claims. Gradually, this social evil took over the entire society, and no concrete steps were ever taken to fight back this menace.

President Ayub Khan had promulgated the Elected Bodies Disqualification Order (EBDO) preventing corrupt politicians from taking part in elections but he was least interested in putting the corrupt in the dock. Similarly, during Yahya’s era 303 civil servants were sacked on corruption charges without having brought them to the court. During Bhutto’s tenure, 1100 corrupt civil servants were fired from their jobs but once again no court proceedings were held in this regard. In the background of Afghan jihad during Zia’s era, dollars poured as a result of Pak-US alliance, and a large part of it was given to religious oganizations to entice them, but in the process corrupting them. Unfortunately, the democratic governments during the 90s surpassed all the previous regimes in plundering the country’s financial resources, and Pakistan was declared as the 2nd most corrupted country of the world in 1996. In October 1999, General Musharaf overthrew the democratic government on the pretext of inept and corrupt government; other factors beside. He had raised the slogan of corruption-free Pakistan but he proved no more different than his predecessors.

His poor governance resulted in the loss of billion of rupees to national treasury due to corruption and mismanagement in some public sector organizations such as Pakistan Steel Mills, Railways, PIA and KESC. Moreover, he had introduced Tax amnesty scheme to legalize the black money of corrupt people in return for 10% money to national treasury. The notorious National Reconciliation Order (NRO) introduced by Pervaiz Musharaf also brought bad name to the country, which had granted immunity to 240 politicians and bureaucrats for their corruption. Such steps proved disastrous to national interests and gave rise to many corrupt practices. Recently, the Transparency International Pakistan has uncovered the corruption of 8500 billion rupees during the current tenure of the present PPP government, which includes corruption in public sector organizations, tax evasion, profligacy of the ruling elite, giving contracts to their lackeys and relatives in violation of the rules.

The above facts are undoubtedly heartrending, but it is also pertinent to mention here that our political class, civil and military bureaucracy, businessmen and industrialists are also equally responsible for this mess. According to a report, Pakistan is bearing the loss of 500 billion annually because of tax evasion while according to State Bank Report, loans worth of 256 billion had been written off from 1970 to 2009. This plunder was carried out in national treasury which is supposed to be spent for the welfare of this state. Had we spent the plundered national wealth for the betterment of this country, Pakistan would have become an economically viable state ensuring stability and sovereignty of the country without interference of US or other foreign forces. Unfortunately, it never took place and now we have come to such a sad state of affairs that corruption has become the gravest hindrance in the way of progress and prosperity of this country. From Zakat department to education, transportation to accountability, not a single institution could be declared as corruption-free in Pakistan. The fact of the matter is that corruption erodes a large portion of our financial resources leaving 60 million people in abject poverty, 55 million without education, more than 10 million as child laborers and 3 million as unemployed. Moreover, corruption is obstructing the way of resolving grave energy crisis in Pakistan, which is otherwise not a big deal.

It would not be an exaggeration to say that corruption acts like a disease to paralyze societies; however, strong nations fight back this menace to get rid of it and from its grave consequences. Last year, a wave of protests against corruption was observed in various countries including Brazil, India, China, Russia, Israel, and Cambodia. Slovakia is also going through the same resistance against corruption nowadays. Unfortunately, our rulers have always patronized corruption; and the NRO was the latest instance which was implemented to legitimize the corruption of the elite class. However, Supreme Court of Pakistan taking a suo moto notice had annulled the ordinance ab anitio asking the government to reopen all the cases of corruption including the cases against President Zardari, which had been closed under this ordinance. On the other hand, the government seems to be in a confrontational mode, and is procrastinating in implementing of the apex court’s orders, and in regard to cases of President Zardari including Swiss Case, taking the plea of constitutional immunity.

Let us presume that President Zardari has the immunity, and no legal action could be taken against the head of the state, at least transferring wealth from foreign banks to Pakistan should not be an issue.

In addition, the ‘immunity clause’ puts a question mark on the Islamic nature of our constitution since the early Islamic traditions do not support immunity for any person including a ruler. Holy Prophet was reported to have said that previous nations had been destroyed because they used to punish destitute for a crime and let the rich getting off scot-free. Moreover, when Hazrat Umar (second Khalifa of early Islamic government) could present himself to be prosecuted by court why can’t it be done with our rulers? So far, no one ever tried to amend the immunity clause, which is in direct contradiction to Islamic teachings. The question arises here as to why didn’t the religious political parties ever endeavor to revise the ‘unislamic’ clause of Pakistan constitution despite being in power during Musharaf’s era? It really leaves one to ponder whether we uphold an Islamic constitution or we have learnt to live with our double standards and hypocrisy? Our heads hang in shame.

Nazia Nazar is a freelance columnist based in Pakistan. She can be reached at [email protected]

 



 


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