Pakistan’s corruption problem remains serious, and the society has been marred with rampant corruption. It is ubiquitous and eroded very fabric of Pakistan society. Ex-Chairman NAB (National Accountability Bureau) Fasih Bokhari confessed that Pakistan loses five to seven billion rupees ($51 to $72 million) every day as a result of inefficiency, corruption and tax evasion. Though according to Transparency International’s Corruption perception index (CPI) Pakistan improved, but still it is ranked 126 among 175 countries. According to (CIR), an independent research group, the data drawn from Pakistan’s Election Commission shows that almost 50 percent of Pakistani lawmakers pay no tax at all, and more than 1 in 10 has never registered with tax authorities.

The major problem is the legislators, who are assigned a task to control corruption, themselves involved in mega-corruption scandals. In previous government, the minister of religious affairs siphoned off millions in Hajj corruption scandal, while a few weeks ago footage of Punjab’s law minister Rana Mashood surfaced on media in which he was demanding bribe from a businessman for some illegal act where he also mentioned CM Punjab’s share in this amount.

Couple of days ago a private T.V channel unveiled a mega corruption scandal, involving Railway minister Khawaja Saad Rafique and a network of employees linked to Railway cargo service. In the TV footage, it is revealed that Pakistan’s Railway Cargo service was involved in illegal transportation of drugs, explosive, bombs, hand grenades weapons, stolen bikes and cars by taking heavy bribes from criminals and terrorists.

Minister of Pakistan Railway was a direct beneficiary of the criminal proceeds. Irrespective of the dire consequences of transportation of explosive, bombs and weapons, Minister railways remained unapologetic. To add insult to injury Minister Saad Rafique used his political muscle to register trumped up cases against TV investigative crew in retaliation. Government did not bother with accountability of Pakistan Railway employees or the Federal Railway Minister .

Saad Rafique is still working on his post while getting rich from facilitating terrorists through transportation of explosives to the cities they desire.

This is tolerated in a country which ranked among the top five in the world for terrorism. Pakistani society would likely to implode with murder of innocent men women and children. Government needs strict legislation and its implementation in true letter and spirit to stamp out corruption from Pakistan.

Sources:

http://www.dawn.com/news/1148425

http://www.dawn.com/…/pakistan-has-a-long-history-of-corrup…
http://thediplomat.com/2014/01/pakistan-as-corrupt-as-ever/

Sar E Aam 6 December 2014 On Railway Corruption… by manee2000

 

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