Corruption is the major obstacle to the functioning of Pakistan's government institutions and it has a negative impact on the economy, society, and governance. Pakistan is ranked as 140 most corrupt state out of 180 countries according to the transparency international report of 2021. The public sector is in the worst state. The Taxpayers Federation, a non-profit organization in Pakistan, reports that 5,000 government employees in the country are earning salaries of up to 200 million rupees, which is roughly $2.4 million. This number could be much higher, and these salaries add up to more People across the globe who are constantly fighting against corruption in government institutions. But the struggle is even more complex in Pakistan due to its unique political and social environment.
Corruption occurs when government officials misuse their power for personal gain. This can take many forms, such as bribery, embezzlement, nepotism, and cronyism. Government corruption leads to social injustice, as it results in the misuse of public resources and the abuse of power. It also undermines democracy and the rule of law, as it creates an unequal playing field where the rich and connected can get away with breaking the law.
Corruption is a global problem that takes many forms and affects all countries. In Pakistan, corruption is a widespread problem that affects all aspects of life. The causes of corruption in Pakistan are numerous and complex, but they can be broadly grouped into three categories: political, economic, and social. The political causes include the lack of accountability and transparency, the weak rule of law, and the lack of democracy. The economic causes include poverty and inequality, the lack of development, and the exploitation of natural resources. The social causes include the lack of education and awareness, the lack of social mobility, and the lack of social cohesion. To effectively address corruption in Pakistan, the government needs to take measures to improve accountability and transparency, strengthen the rule of law, promote economic development, and reduce poverty and inequality.
It is estimated that corruption costs the Pakistani economy billions of dollars every year. Corruption is often cited as one of the main reasons why Pakistan is not able to develop and progress .An accountability structure was established in the country, which created numerous layers of commissions. The aim was to ensure that all activities that go against the rights were investigated, reported and held accountable. However, The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has been criticized for not being effective in combating corruption and also failing to recover stolen money. The government of Pakistan has taken some steps to tackle this issue but more needs to be done.
The fact that the NAB has not formed a functioning institution in Islamabad, therefore, there aren’t proper mechanisms to protect the elected government and people of Karachi. And most of the time, this is a double whammy for those doing corruption in government. Most of the people who are becoming rich do not know their rights. Or they know the wrong procedures and they are unaware of courts. Hence, it is difficult for these individuals to know whether it is right or wrong, and therefore it is difficult for them to act right. I think this problem of corrupt individuals was highlighted in many books, however, I believe this one is especially relevant to Pakistan because of the history of corruption. Without corruption, the life of millions of people in Pakistan would be impossible.