Pakistan Need Strong Government (Corruption in Pakistan)

(Ramsha Ahmed, rawalpindi)

 Corruption in Pakistan is widespread, particularly in the government and lower levels of police forces. Pakistan scored 127 out of 175 on the Corruption Perception published by the Transparency International. Corruption has plagued Pakistan from the very moment it came into existence. It was the unrepentant display of plutocracy amongst its powerful bureaucracy. In recent times, the coalition government led by the Pakistan People’s Party is criticized as the most corrupt government in the nation's history. This led to the sudden decline in corruption when the PPP-led government was voted out from office. Since then, there is a growing need to reform accountability and anti-corruption policies at higher levels within the state government. Nowadays corruption in Pakistan is occurring on many issues, the big is our government. Pakistan’s government is the weakest point which makes corruption occur. Corruption is more prevalent because lack of accountability and regulation. If money that the government receives is going in their pockets rather than being spent on the people who need it, on their education, health and so on, then the consequences are obvious that many people don't pay taxes because they don't trust the government to spend it on the people, they think they are corrupt and the money would just disappear. And so this creates a vicious circle. People don't see the government doing anything to help them, so they think it's a waste of time to pay taxes. The government doesn't get any money from taxes and so can't do anything to help people. According to many people corruption can only thrive in bureaucratic societies or countries where every single matter, law and order is under the control of corrupt government. The reality does not authenticate just this idea. At an "elite" level, corruption is the everywhere. Then, what developing countries are full of, is non-elite corrupt people. Corruption is normally associated with the government, police, legal system and other bodies that control and allocate public resources. The police are responsible for maintaining order and justice in a society. A police department for instance can be compared to other governmental bodies for simple understanding of the term. e.g.: a cop stops a car to make a ticket, but is also willing to accept a small bribe to let it pass (or even stop the car to get a bribe in the first place). Some drivers will also try to bribe the cop, to avoid the ticket. Mostly the same at all administration levels, at any given bureaucrat institution. Of course, virtually all government regulated institutions (police, hospitals, schools, etc) have their employee being overly underpaid, which helps a lot to lead into this. The reason why a policeman for example would accept a bribe to let someone go free is that they are often underpaid and extra cash is always a tempting prospect. The wide consensus across surveys points to the police as being one of the most corrupt institutions in Pakistan. According to the organization Global Integrity appointments in the police force are often based on political considerations. Police officers frequently have conflicts of interest due to personal loyalties and family connections. It is also well known that in Pakistan, influential landlords decide the appointment of law enforcement officers in their area, with police officers acting on their behalf. Unlawful police methods do not solely affect poor people. Businesses also complain that they suffer from extortion by the police, for instance in the form of bogus traffic fines. Basically Police misconduct is a topic of great concern worldwide. However, the causes of police corruption are remarkably different. Understanding the unique political, historical, legal, and economic institutions of a country is essential in identifying the potential for police misconduct. The boundary line between corrupt and non-corrupt activities is quite difficult to define. A police officer who takes advantage of his power and authority for personal and organizational gains can easily be described as a corrupt police officer. The term “police corruption” has been used to describe many activities: bribery; violence and brutality; fabrication and destruction of evidence; racism; and, favoritism. Not only lower ranked officers are involved in such malpractices, but also senior officers, and those ranked below them are involved in organized corruption. The position is best summed up in the words of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Home Affairs in Pakistan: Today we have a police, which is politicized and politically polarized. For it has become a pawn in the hands of its masters. There are many more reasons for corruption on Pakistan and current affairs but to avoid these corruption is to have a strong government which is Imran Khan trying to do. Nawaz Shareef is the biggest cause of corruption right now in Pakistan. He spend 8,000,000 just for his trip rather than spending on Pakistan. So Pakistan really needs to have strong government to have less corruption.

Ramsha Ahmed
About the Author: Ramsha Ahmed Read More Articles by Ramsha Ahmed: 9 Articles with 4047 viewsCurrently, no details found about the author. If you are the author of this Article, Please update or create your Profile here.