It’s
not corruption; it’s perception, stupid!
FEBRUARY
12, 2020
The ruling party went into
panic mode after the publication of Transparency International’s report, according to which Pakistan had
slipped two or three points in the Corruption Perception Index.
It implied that corruption had not been contained. It had
increased. The very learned lady advisor on (mis)information said something
about it being a conspiracy against the PTI.
She said that the Pakistani chapter of the organisation had been given favours
by the previous Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) government. That may be
true, but this time, the report was issued by Transparency International
(Berlin), according to which Pakistan is among dozens of nations, where
perceived corruption has worsened significantly over the past year.
The local chapter of
Transparency International attempted damage control; saying that the report did
not reflect that corruption had increased or decreased in Pakistan. But this
had little effect as the organisation admitted that it was not responsible for
the report and had not contributed in any way in its compilation. But PTI
ministers and advisors reacted triumphantly as though Kashmir had finally been
conquered.
Of course, it is common
knowledge that rampant corruption has not been contained, leave alone
eliminated. When he was on that container for four months, the Dear Leader had
promised to wipe out corruption in 90 days. If he had done so, by now, the
country would have been richer by 18 billion dollars (since a billion dollars a
month are lost to corruption). So it would be better for the Great Khan to stop
talking about it, seeing that he can’t explain why he has tainted ministers in
his cabinet. Among his friends, one has been disqualified from holding public
office. Another is being investigated for corruption by NAB.
Then, there is the foreign
funding case, which the Laadla has been trying with all his might to get
postponed on one pretext or the other. Not to forget the much-delayed BRT
project (which, if it is ever completed, will cost many times more than the
originally estimated and on which seven billion rupees in kickbacks have
already been reportedly paid). Of course, the sudden disappearance of wheat
flour (being first exported and then imported at a much higher cost) qualifies
to be treated as an example of corruption. Then, there was a sharp increase in
the price of medicines, for no apparent reason except to make someone rich. And
PTI followers still say that corruption has not increased in the country?
I suppose it is an encouraging sign that the ruling party is
worried about how it is perceived by the public. But does it matter? People are
now convinced that it cannot deliver, that it has duped the nation and whatever
the Great Khan says, he cannot be believed (due to his many U-turns).
His
latest admission that his salary of two hundred thousand rupees is not
sufficient to meet his expenses makes one wonder how poor peasants and factory
workers survive on a mere Rs 15 to 20,000.
As
for taking money from his friends to pay for his visit to Davos, doesn’t he
know there’s no such thing as a free lunch?
I’m
not sure, but I believe someone from a European country immediately responded,
“We don’t allow that in our country,” when he heard about Imran’s expenses
being paid by his friends.
But
why stop at Davos? Why not allow friends to pay for the fuel being used by his
helicopter, flying from Bani Gala to the Prime Minister’s House? Since he
thinks that his salary is not so high, perhaps, the friends should consider
contributing to his household expenses!
The writer is an engineer, a former
visiting lecturer at NED Engineering College
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