Corruption Eradication

Corruption Eradication--need of the day

Outline:

 What is Corruption?

 Examples of corruption in Pakistan

 Corruption in Pakistan

o Causes of corruption in Pakistan

 Diffusion in Govt. officials and power holders

 Abuse of public office

 Role of enforcement agencies

 People themselves offer bribes etc.

o Effects of corruption on Pakistan

 Statistical overview of corruption

 Suggestions for corruption eradication

What Constitutes Corruption?

The word "corruption" comes from the Latin verb "corruptus" (to break); it literally means broken object.

Conceptually, corruption is a form of behavior, which departs from ethics, morality, tradition, law and civic virtue.

The most comprehensive definition of "corruption" can be found at the web site of the Global Infrastructure Anti Corruption Center (GIACC) http://www.giaccentre.org. It says "In its wider sense, corruption includes one or more of bribery, extortion, fraud, deception, collusion, cartels, abuse of power, embezzlement, trading in influence and money laundering."

The underlying motive of corruption is to provide some one unfair advantage at the expense of either another individual entity (person or corporate) or a collective entity (country, province, city, community or company). In all cases, it is illegal, dishonest, and/or unethical. A bribe may be a cash payment or a gift item of considerable value.

Examples of Corruption in Pakistan

A government official or government Minister or his/her business partner receiving money in exchange for awarding a contract, job, promotion or approving invoices for payment (an example that involves Bribery and Abuse of Power and may involve Collusion).

A policeman receiving money to drop charges against someone or receiving bribe from someone to arrest another person (an example that involves Bribery and Abuse of Power and may involve Collusion and Extortion).

A political party leader of a party in power ordering police to arrest a political opponent until that opponent supports that political leader (an example that involves Abuse of Power, and Collusion and Extortion).

A medical doctor using supplies received for use in a public hospital uses them in his private practice (an example that involves Abuse of Power, Fraud, and Embezzlement).

A military General receiving commission to be deposited in an overseas bank account to facilitate procurement of military equipment (an example that involves Bribery, Abuse of Power, Fraud, Deception, Collusion and Extortion).

A contractor who uses sub-standard material in the construction of a large public project such a university building, a road by-pass, or a village road. An inspecting engineer who receives bribe to ignore the use defective material and/or workmanship and approves the project for payment. A treasury official who receives money to pass contractor invoices knowing that inspection certificates lacks all required approvals (an example that involves Bribery, Abuse of Power, Fraud, Deception, Collusion and Extortion).

A senior manager in a public or private organization giving a job to a friend or relative bypassing a proper selection process (an example that involves Abuse of Power and Trading-in-influence).

The elected and appointed officials conspiring to sell government prime land to friends, relatives or business partners at much lower price with considerable loss to government Treasury (an example that involves Abuse of Power, Fraud, Deception, and Collusion).

A teacher who rarely goes to school to teach but collects his/her salary regularly. A bad village leader (wadero)illegally occupies a school and uses it as guest house (an example that involves Bribery, Abuse of Power, Fraud, Deception, and Collusion).

An ordinary citizen and Electric Company Inspection Employee who pays and receives bribe respectively to allow stealing of electricity illegally (an example that involves Bribery, Abuse of Power, Fraud, Deception, and Collusion).

A Bank Manager, Bank Employee, relative, or associate who convolute to move a large amount Bribery cash into a foreign account illegally (an example that involves Money Laundering, Deception, fraud, and collusion and may involve Bribery).

Owners and Representatives of a commodity or manufactured products or traders (for example, sugar or shaving blades) conspire to keep prices high by agreeing to charge a minimum consumer price ((an example that involves Cartels, Collusion, and Abuse of Power and may involve, Fraud, and Deception).

Causes of Corruption in Pakistan

Pakistan is facing an extraordinary crisis today in almost every aspect of life. Inefficient state decisions, increasing lawlessness, criminalization of polity, inefficient justice system, crime and political power, serious erosion of legitimacy of authority and extremely tardy is order of the day.

It is believed that the root cause behind all this situation is only and only corruption which has been diluted in the blood of majority of the government officials and other power shareholders and is difficult to expose because on the one hand the legislation is unclear and open to interpretation and sides with the corruptors and on the other hand there is no respect for law even if clearly available. The abuse of public office for private gains has emerged as a fashion, both among government officials and policymakers. Another reason of wide spread corruption is that the majority of our enforcement agencies are not really committed to fighting corruption. From this viewpoint, it may be said that rampant corruption