Arab News
MUHAMMAD WAQAS
For too long, the so-called public representatives, politicians and their cronies in Pakistan have been abusing political powers to promote personal interests at the cost of the nation.
Encouraged by a weak accountability system, these so-called sacred cows have brewed internal turmoil in the country through poor governance and mindless policymaking. As a result, today Pakistan finds itself surrounded by numerous socioeconomic, political and security challenges. If Pakistan is to become a prosperous country, it must find a way to break free from shackles of the past and build a more inclusive and justice-based ruling system.
The same views have been echoed by Pakistan’s celebrated Army Chief Gen. Raheel Sharif, who believes that Pakistan cannot have a better future unless there is “across-the-board accountability” and ”the menace of corruption is uprooted” from the society. In a veiled warning to the politicians after Panama Leaks scandal, he has already signaled the intention of country’s military to fully support all meaningful efforts in this regard to achieve durable peace and stability in Pakistan. Gen. Sharif has started by setting his own house in order first and, in an extraordinary action, dismissed 11 senior officers of the army on charges of corruption. All quarters have hailed this rare display of accountability by the institution, which has often been criticized for only targeting politicians and turning a blind eye to misdoings by its own men.
With the army now leading by example, there should be no excuses for going after corrupt officials in the bureaucracy and other government departments. Although anti-corruption laws exist in Pakistan, corruption remains pervasive in the country because of their ineffective implementation. In particular, the lower levels of police and judiciary are notorious for demanding bribes and remain prone to influence of powerful individuals. Unfortunately, the common man in Pakistan has accepted corruption as part of the social setup and feels helpless in challenging the status quo. The failure of past probes into financial irregularities and other misconduct has also made them skeptical that any major changes will take place in the future.
While there is a dire need to restructure watchdogs like National Accountability Bureau (NAB) by making their proceedings more transparent and standardized, ordinary citizens need to wake up and push for social accountability as well. We need to demand good governance from our elected representatives, who are under an obligation to serve ordinary citizens and promote welfare of the society at large. As also highlighted by a recent US State Department, corruption fuels extremism through economic instability and other negative impacts on the society. Social accountability implies empowerment and participation of ordinary citizens in the governance mechanism. By raising their voice on important civil matters that directly or indirectly impact them, the citizens will be influencing policy decisions on key issues like poverty, service delivery, equality and public expenditure. The formation of local governments in Pakistan should encourage greater participation of citizens in political matters with transparency and accountability.
It is high time that we overcame the defeatist mindset that tolerates corruption under political patronage of the ruling class. Recent developments of Panama Leaks and anti-corruption action within army should be seen as a golden opportunity for decisive action against corruption in Pakistan. The fight against corruption is one for the survival of Pakistan and needs to be won before it gets too late.
