Corruption in Pakistan: Comparison with the West > >> -Dr Mahjabeen Islam >> >> Pakistanis love to ape the West. Think of the recent Valentine’s Day, >> Halloween and Mother’s Day celebrations. >> >> It would be so nice if the Wests honesty, work ethics, punctuality, >> integrity, processes, legal recourse and fidelity to the state were >> also adopted. Most importantly, what the West does with corrupt >> members of government. >> >> Recently, former Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell and his wife were >> found guilty of accepting gifts, totalling $ 160,000, from the owner >> of a nutritional supplement company in return for promoting his >> products while they were in office. The US Justice Department said the >> “convictions should send a message that corruption in any form, at any >> level of government, will not be tolerated.” The charges carry a >> potential 30-year jail sentence. >> >> Compare the corruption in the richest nation on earth with that in one >> of the poorest. Say the word “Zardari” and the mind’s synonym is >> corruption. The return of the PPP to power in 2008 resulted in the >> government withdrawing his corruption cases that were at the threshold >> of being successfully filed. Zardari had spent eight years in jail. He >> was saved by ascension to power that opened the doors to further >> acquisition. It is alleged that Zardari has £ 740 million in Swiss >> bank accounts as well as an over four million pound mansion in Surrey >> and a $ 2.5 million manor in Normandy. No objections can be raised if >> this incredible accumulation was legal. Prior to his marriage to >> Benazir, Zardari was a man of modest means, with the cleverness to >> calculate the power of “10 percent”. >> >> That Zardari got away with this allegedly massive corruption actually >> changed the psyche of the Pakistani nation. He took the sting out of >> the concept of corruption, made it romantic almost, and horror of >> horrors Pakistanis became immune to its illegitimacy and started to >> justify their own at all levels, consciously and unconsciously. >> >> Rod Blagojevich was Illinois’ governor from 2003-2009. In March 2012, >> Blagojevich began serving a 14-year sentence in federal prison >> following conviction for corruption including the soliciting of bribes >> for political appointments. He was charged with several “pay to play” >> schemes in which he sold gubernatorial and legislative appointments to >> the highest bidder. He was impeached in 2009. Blagojevich’s pay to >> play schemes sound so Pakistani! One must say that Pakistani leaders >> give out business contracts and massive commissions to family members >> and cronies, and the nation pays while they play! It is that magical >> kursi (seat) of Pakistan that turns saints into satans. >> >> Kwame Kilpatrick was mayor of Detroit from 2000-2008. In 2013, he was >> sentenced to 28 years in federal prison for extorting bribes from >> contractors who wanted Detroit city contracts. He steered $ 127 >> million in contracts to his friend and business partner, Bobby >> Ferguson. The city of Detroit is the first in the nation to file >> bankruptcy. US District Judge Nancy Edmunds granted the 28-year term >> sought by prosecutors who claimed Kilpatrick’s racketeering, bribery >> and extortion worsened the city’s financial crisis as part of a >> conspiracy that spent millions of taxpayer dollars. The sentence was >> intended to send a message that corruption would not be tolerated and >> “that way of business is over,” Edmunds said. >> >> The brothers Sharif and cronies’ corruption is as massive as >> Kilpatrick’s, if not more. And, for all intents and purposes, Pakistan >> is bankrupt. In a previous Sharif term, Salman Shahbaz imported a >> Siberian leopard and nurtured it in an air-conditioned cage. All while >> the students of Punjab studied in candlelight and numerous others died >> of gastroenteritis and dehydration, unable to even get potable water >> or basic medical care in hospitals. >> >> True, the Sharifs are businessmen but doing business with taxpayers’ >> money is a bit egregious. Zardari at least kept the 10 percent >> commission premise to himself; the Sharifs have spread the goodness to >> members of the PML-N. And, keeping up with inflation, the commission >> on mega government projects has risen to 30 percent. My fellow >> columnist, Dr Mansoor Hussain, speaks of the Sharif “lifafa (envelope) >> largesse”: envelopes stuffed with large bills are spread around to buy >> support and silence. >> >> Pakistanis are treated, or tortured depending on your inclination, by >> the information or allegations in Imran Khan and Tahirul Qadri’s >> speeches. The PPP’s Aitzaz Ahsan states that their words have >> irretrievably entered the hearts and minds of Pakistanis. He >> acknowledges electoral rigging as well as the charges of massive >> corruption. If only he would drop the Pakistani staple of covering >> over these charges, Pakistan would be delivered of this climate of >> deceit, collusion and subterfuge. >> >> Religion and state should be separated. However, Nawaz Sharif is of >> the inshallah, mashaallah and subhanallah genre, so I must appeal to >> his religiosity. You have the nerve to go to the flood stricken areas >> and promise government help. What of their money that you and your >> cronies stole to finance your luxurious lifestyles and >> more-expensive-than-Rolex watches? Infrastructure to combat flooding >> takes years to build. But taxpayer money was used to finance your >> mini-city, the Raiwind residence, and satisfy your gluttony for >> numerous varieties of nihari and mithai. Perhaps a serious study of >> the early period of Islam and the scrupulous integrity of the four >> khalifas and their selfless service to their people would be >> instructive. >> >> The PTI and PAT sit-ins have cramped your lifestyle and your 30-strong >> delegations’ world trips to garner more lucrative contracts. The >> politicians and their coterie pay miniscule if any tax and pillage >> our treasury to go for Umrah, again with planeloads of friends and >> family. The foundation of democracy is integrity and transparency. >> Khalifa Umar had to justify his use of two sheets when questioned by a >> woman. He also said, “Do your own accounting before it is done for >> you.” If there is a question of electoral rigging, if there is >> evidence of corruption that has broken Pakistan, take the moral high >> road. According to the Islam that you love to tout, we must be >> forgiven by those we have wronged before we can be forgiven by God. It >> will be infinitely easier to remediate in this world. >> > > > > >
Posted on: Wed, 12 Nov 2014 18:29:17 +0000
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