Corruption has always been a fact of life in Pakistan. Years ago, I used to think that only government officers were dishonest. When I started my own business after working in the oil and chemical industries for nine years, I found that corruption is rampant in the private sector as well.
A purchase office of even a small trading firm would ask me to jack up the price a bit, and pay him the difference. In a major petroleum company, I was astounded when the engineer awarding the contracts asked me to pay him ten percent of every invoice (I had known him for a long time and never suspected he was dishonest). When I asked him why he needed the extra illicit income, he said he wanted the money to build his own house. After the house was built, he didn't stop taking money from contractors and suppliers. He now needed the money to pay salaries of security guards, gardeners and other servants).
Police constables in the country have to pay hefty amounts to be transferred to those police stations where they can become millionaires overnight. They share part of the loot with their superiors, who in turn transmit part of it to their bosses, it goes right to the top of the pyramid, and even those ruling the country get some of it.
It is said that the reason for corruption among government servants is that they are not paid as much as those working in the private sector. But even some of those not working in government are also dishonest.
I strongly doubt if corruption can be eradicated easily. Civil servants will have to be paid at least five times their present salaries to make them honest, in addition to those caught taking bribes being awarded exemplary punishment. We need a leader like Lee Kuan Yew of Singapore to make this happen. Imran Khan simply doesn't have what it takes to transform the country, as he himself is surrounded by those who have become rich illegally. No one will believe he is honest until he holds his own corrupt friends accountable for their misdeeds. I don't think he'll ever do it.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Post a Comment