Adil Najam
I did not know that December 9 was the “International Anti-Corruption Day.” Nor that it would be observed in Pakistan along with Eid. I learnt this and saw this picture at Islamabad Metroblog, and didn’t really know how to react to it.
Yes, saying “No” will help. But maybe it will take a little more than just saying “No.”
On the other hand, there are plenty of reasons why we should observe the day “Anti-Corruption” day in Pakistan. Would’nt it be just wonderful if we observed it every day!
There are three stages of Pakistan.
1: 1947; creation of Pakistan
2a: 1954: First Mullah insurgency
2b: 1974-1978 :Democarcy hijacked by Mullah
2c: Mullah supported Dictatorship.
3: The “Mess” stage, which continues……
No crime can be prevented, from murder to petty theft. The best we can do is keep it in check. The worst we can do is give up and decide to live with it.
Corrpution can’t be prevented. The only difference is that it does not bite that hard to an ordinary citizen in a developed country.
How ironic! The governor of a major American state that is sending its senator to the White House as president got charged with massive corruption on Dec 9, 2008, the day designated as International Anti-Corruption Day by the United Nations.
This latest corruption scandal in the United States confirms that corruption exists in all parts of the world, including the industrialized world. However, this report also illustrates that, unlike Pakistan and many other less developed countries, there is greater accountability in the West for the people in power.
To read more, please visit: http://www.riazhaq.com/2008/12/anti-corruption-day -blagojevich-and.html
Here are a few random thoughts on the Post:
(1) When you donot give people living wages and give them massive authority and they trade that power for money they badly need to support a family, would it be corruption???
(2) The big looters in developing countries take their wealth Overseas and the Western Banks and Governments permit them to do so. Are these governments not encouraging and participating in Corruption??? Do they then have a right to point fingures at corruption?????
(3) Those who give and those who receive are Equally Guilty of Corruption. Nes’t pas???????