Vicious Circle of Corruption in Pakistan and its Awareness

Corruption in Pakistan has become the daily business of our daily life. Youths and students form the basis of our society and to fight corruption, is to strengthen grass root of society. Youth and Students have a major role to play in the fight against corruption. The simple way is to keep themselves away from crime and bring changes to our society. Students should actively participate in social services, which indeed will bring a lot of changes to our society. The more the youths take active participation, the faster the change in our society, a strong step towards fighting corruption. 

A student has a great responsibility for decision making which would reflect the future of our country. Students should actively take part in administrative services, and get into IAS, IPS, and bureaucracy. This would bring a lot of changes in bureaucracy and a big step to end corruption. 

Students' and youth's fight against corruption is not to oppose corruption but to act against it. 

All these can happen when there is a strong willingness in youths to fight against corruption. 

Students should not be part of politics as politicians would inject the same corrupt system into society. Students become puppets in the hands of politicians. Students cannot fight corruption when they become part of corruption. Fighting corruption is not to be a part of it, to act against it.

Corruption has become synonymous with our existing system and is pushing our nation to a dead end. Favoritism, nepotism, misappropriation of public funds, bad debts, and misuse of power are on the rise. Corruption has gained roots in our society because of wrong decisions and weak policies of successive governments. The agencies responsible for checking corruption have completely failed in their mission. Thus accountability seems non-existent. First of all, we must define corruption. Apparently, it would look like a suspicious financial transaction alone. But that is a too narrow view. Corruption today has become a way of life and it encompasses the ideological, moral, and ethical values of society. It has become a part of our culture. Think about everyone else who is engaging in corruption. If we don’t do the same thing, will not it be our loss? If a thousand people are engaging in corruption, the one who doesn’t is only hurting himself. Corruption is a series of developed reactions to the same situation that has strengthened with time and repetition.

According to Novak,

“Built upon the desire to prevail are all other forms of corruption. Degrading others or their realities or property makes it easier to prevail. Gaining lying stifles the competing influence of others”.

In this scenario, there is no room for cooperation, fair play, and justice. It is all about who is better, more powerful, influential, and dominating than the others and also about how you use your advantages to subdue your opponent by taking away his or her assets.

While addressing the constituent assembly of Pakistan, Quaid-e-Azam said,

“One of the biggest curses from which India is suffering is bribery and corruption that really is a poison. We must put that down with an iron hand”.

His words were not directed at any particular group. He foresaw corruption as a deadly virus, a poison that could sap the very foundation of a state and lay it open to all kinds of dangers.

According to Novak,

“Acquiring power is the purpose of corruption since power is needed to prevail over other persons. When succeeding, power is acquired, and its desirability causes the behavior to be repeated”.

The positive rewards are the acquisition of wealth, power, and dominance. The act of corruption thus becomes so automatic in the human brain that it escapes the awareness of the perpetrator of corruption. Corruption in Pakistan comes in as many forms as there could be. It comes in the form of bribery receiving and giving. It exists in the show of power and influence through real and concocted relationships with people in authority and the gains they can obtain from others. The worst form of corruption is intellectual and professional dishonesty to please or benefit a few individuals at the cost of others. Equally dangerous is sycophancy which misleads people in decision-making and has extremely harmful effects.

In America, the rising expenses of elections have created a strange situation. The Jewish business magnates have turned into kingmakers because of their money and the entire American nation is being held hostage to their ability to provide an enormous amount of money for the election of key contenders. This is also a form of corruption that is monopolized by a few people.

The position in the East is worse because the democratic system has not been institutionalized. And because of this practice, the level of corruption is much higher while the level of discipline much lower.

In China and India, corruption is gaining momentum. The indiscipline is also following in the footsteps of corruption and several uprisings point out that corruption has gained firm roots in the soil too.

The major reason for fast-creeping corruption is political instability, poverty, the unequal structure of society, unemployment, lack of accountability, weak political institutions, and the absence of the rule of law. Resultant they are affecting political stability, equal distribution of resources and power, and confidence of local and foreign investors and political institutions.

It is pity that we are working without effective planning. The whole of society is running aimlessly with no destination or target in view. In the process, everyone picks whatever he finds on his way. It is also one of the major reasons for backwardness. If we want to kill corruption at the grass root level, we will have to cap those cavities where the virus of corruption is nourished. If we confine ourselves to the systems alone, we will, at the most, be applying cosmetic treatment. It merely touches the tip of the iceberg. For a more lasting solution, we will have to adopt effective measures to check corruption. Some of them (given below) can help reduce it if not uprooting it.

1. People should be made aware of their rights. By providing general awareness to the masses, the chances of grabbing money from the people lower to the minimum.

2. Institutions should be made strong for the proper working of the democratic system.

3. Proper system of accountability and check and balance should be implemented.

4. Red Taoism is the major cause of corruption and e-governance is the best solution for this solving this problem.

5. Anti-social activities should be condemned and resisted.

6. Justice delayed is justice denied. In time justice can minimize corruption practices,

7. Salaries and wages should be increased the chances of corruption.

8. The unemployed class should be provided jobs and recruited purely on merit.

9. Education system must be revised and improved according to national needs.

10. Stable governments are essential to prevail in justice and to uproot corruption.

It is multi-faceted problem so it should be countered on all possible fronts with sincerity. We must reform ourselves. Only proper planning and strictly implemented policies with public support can put halt to this growing menace.