CSS 2010 Solved Current Affairs Past Papers | Root Cause of Rampant Corruption in Pakistan
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Question Breakdown
This question has one part, i.e., to analyse and comment on the Root Cause of Rampant Corruption in Pakistan.
Outline
1-Introduction
2-Current Status of Corruption in Pakistan
3-Pakistan’s Efforts to Eradicate Corruption
- ✓Early Anti-Corruption Initiatives (1950s–1980s)
- ✓Post-1980s Developments: Role of NAB
- ✓Recent Efforts and Modern Anti-Corruption Campaigns
4-Root Causes of Rampant Corruption
- ✓Weak Institutional Framework
- ✓Political Instability and Governance Issues
- ✓Flawed Legal and Judicial Systems
- ✓Economic Disparities
- ✓Cultural Acceptance and Social Norms
5-Strategic Roadmap to Combat Corruption
- ✓Technological Overhaul: Digital Governance and Transparency
- ✓Decentralization of Accountability Mechanisms
- ✓Public Participation and Whistle-blower Protection
6-Critical Analysis
7-Conclusion
Introduction
Corruption has engulfed Pakistan’s entire social fabric for a long time and has discouraged the country’s political and economic growth. Unfortunately, after SIX decades of fight, and despite the creation of a plethora of anti-corruption bodies – the menace is still here, and, on the contrary, it seems to be thriving, which erodes the rule of law and the state’s authority. In Pakistan, Issues from early attempts made immediately after independence up to the formation of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) in 1999 have been unsuccessful. Institutional development is still low, political volatility continues to precipitate governance breakdown, and the legal framework neglects the issue of responsibility. This problem becomes deeper as multinational corporation executives succumb to economic discrimination and bend the rules of acceptable conduct to their advantage. Based on these challenges, it is crucial to have a strategic roadmap that would call for transparency, public participation, and what could be achieved by decentralised accountability regimes. Suppose it is to change the tide against corruption in the country. In that case, Pakistan needs to undergo radical and full-scale reforms, with the ruling party having the political will to work towards eradicating the vice. As the situation is today, the battle against corruption remains one of the country’s most pressing and significant issues that require conscience and solutions for change toward a higher level of government responsibility.
Current Status of Corruption in Pakistan
Corruption remains a defining curse of Pakistan’s society and its institutions, although its impacts span across and into all sectors of governance. The results of the Corruption Perceptions Index developed by Transparency International show that Pakistan occupied a low position, increasing concern about corruption in different work fields. The Judiciary, Police, and bureaucracy are most sensitive to bribery and nepotism, which have been addressed by anti-corruption organisations, including the National Accountability Bureau (NAB), insufficient because of political interference and restricted accountability. One of the most significant cases is the scandal of Pakistan Steel Mills, in which corruption of tens of millions of state money has been revealed. Also, official documents of the Asian Development Bank and other global institutions regarding various countries frequently refer to corruption as one of the main impediments to shifting to a new economic growth model and attracting foreign investment. However, these exposing reports show that the state’s efforts towards fighting corruption are still insignificant as more structural problems linger. Unfortunately, it has created a situation in which citizen trust in governance is low, and demands for a more robust and autonomous anti-corruption agency have risen.
Pakistan’s Efforts to Eradicate Corruption
- ✓ Early Anti-Corruption Initiatives (1950s–1980s)
After independence in 1947, Pakistan has tried several times to address the issue of corruption by introducing institutional measures that, however, were only showpieces and had no substance. The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) was the first attempt at controlling financial accountability in government organisations under the central government. The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) was created in 1974. Nonetheless, it was responsible for investigating white-collar crimes and corruption, although its capacity was repeatedly shackled by political influence and lack of authority. Similarly, the Ehtesab Bureau in the late 1980s also failed because it needed more operational autonomy and enforcement power. The early reforms had never taken off; the implementation needed more efficiency, oversight, and political will and thus could do little to counter increasing corruption within state organs.
- ✓ Post-1980s Developments: Role of NAB
The formation of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) in 1999 showed some remarkable changes in Pakistani strategy for fighting against corruption. Initially established in 1999 under Gen. Pervez Musharraf, NAB has been designed to be an independent organisation that could conduct trials in corruption cases in the private sector and governmental organisations. First, NAB achieved some improvements by getting high-profile people for corruption charges, which gave hope for improving accountability in Pakistan. However, after some time, they proved it to be selective accountability, which was being used more to target political rivals in politically charged environments, like before or during an election. Unfortunately, NAB has been plagued by allegations of continued political influence, which limits its effectiveness and weakens public trust. Hence, while NAB continues to play an active role in Pakistan’s fight against corruption, its spotty record shows that Pakistan’s fight against corruption does not serve its purpose with sincerity or integrity.
- ✓ Recent Efforts and Modern Anti-Corruption Campaigns
Recently, Pakistan made efforts to combat corruption, a few things with the intent of increasing transparency and clamping down on fraudulent practices. To illustrate, the Public Procurement Regulatory Authority (PPRA) was set up to impose tighter control over government contracts to minimise opportunities for kickbacks and dispensation of favours. The National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO) was a tried and tested effort to cleanse the books of those indicted on corruption charges and was widely criticised for watering down accountability. The scandal of the NICL (National Insurance Corporation Limited) dented efforts in the first place as they failed to prevent public officials from using public funds for large-scale misappropriation. Transparency International often wrote that initiatives without needing more enforcement seemed to struggle and were undermined by political interference and often stagnated. These reports portrayed a clear social promise of proactively combating corruption. However, they were needed to be more sufficient to make a dent against entrenched rottenness in the system, which convinced the public the impact would be little or none.
Root Causes of Rampant Corruption
- ✓ Weak Institutional Framework
One of the critical reasons for massive corruption in Pakistan is the weak institutional framework. Corruption-fighting agencies and police are often dependent and have insufficient powers to prosecute such cases. Among those are the police and the judiciary, which frequently act under direct influence from political authority. The weakness of accountability mechanisms within government departments also contributes to corrupt practices embedded in themselves. Moreover, low funding, insufficient training and scant supervision compromise the ability of institutions to create and enforce social sanctions that apply to powerful elites. Consequently, the check and balance institutions are seminal in propagating corruption.
- ✓ Political Instability and Governance Issues
Apart from the weak institutional framework, political instability has remained another factor that has triggered corruption in Pakistan. Long-term governance reforms hardly find a chance to implement Changes in the regime because of military intervention and short-lived governments that have characterised the governance systems in the country. Politicians tend to self-destruct and destroy the opposition to attain or maintain power, goals which are detrimental to the nation. This results in reflected instability of measures taken to fight corruption, where each successive government either diminishes or restructures every measure put in place by the previous administration—however, issues like nepotism, favouritism, and political influence. Common governance issues not only allow those in authority to twist the accountability system but also, these governance failures open the corridors for corruption to establish roots in the political systems, thereby worsening the situation.
- ✓ Flawed Legal and Judicial Systems
The flawed legal and judicial systems are another factor contributing to Pakistan’s high level of corruption. The legal structure is usually random and full of loopholes through which corruption issues can be hidden, and the person considered corrupt cannot be punished institutionally. Due to the sluggish nature of judicial practice and the accumulation of cases, corruption case resolution can take years, thus decreasing the general purpose of the law as a deterrent. It is also a fact that some elements of the judiciary are accused of corruption through bribery, political interference and unbalanced justice. That lowers public confidence in the legal system’s capacity to do justice without alternatives. This results in a general inability to expose corrupt practices; hence, corruption legal procedures could be more effective in fighting corruption.
- ✓ Economic Disparities
Similarly, economic disparity is one of the root causes of corruption in Pakistan. As people are living under the shadow of poverty and the level of unemployment is very high, it is standard to see people engaging in corrupt practices as a means to make ends meet. Public sector employee wages are reasonable compared to the cost of living, which keeps increasing over time. Thus, revenants turn to ways such as bribery or even other illegal practices. This point is backed by Amartya Sen, a well-known economist who says that while there is extreme disparity among societies, it is typical for the bottommost section of society to exploit everything available to them to uplift their social status. In Pakistan, this complements the pattern of corruption observable in almost all sectors of the economy, a leisurely displacement of social norms resulting from the pervasive self-interest that comes with poverty. However, the upper class, which has the advantage of this systemic inequality, also finds ways to sharpen this imbalance by corrupt means and would continue to do so to perpetuate the cycle of poverty.
- ✓ Cultural Acceptance and Social Norms
In addition, the acceptability and societal values sustain the corruption tendencies in Pakistan. Practices like favouritism, nepotism, and bribery have evolved over the years and become accepted in society as means for progress, professionally and personally. One of the explanations of this phenomenon is contributed by sociologist Robert K. Merton, who introduced the theory of “anomie”; that is, the greater the societal demands for success and the lower the legitimate opportunities available to meet them, the more the individual is likely to resort to deviance, including corruption. These norms, in the case of Pakistan, are also responsible for the high level of impunity as the higher crust of the society is not held accountable for the wrongful acts they commit. This results in the perception of the state’s institutions as being unable to dispose of illegalities. Thus, corruption has become a social norm that is difficult to eradicate.
Strategic Roadmap to Combat Corruption
For a long time, Pakistan has had corruption. From poor institutional setups to economic inequality, these are the ever-present factors that have made room for vices in all areas of life. The need for more political stability and a weak justice mechanism compounds this problem. Therefore, the problem is more than paying attention to the symptoms of corruption. As the saying goes, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” The resolution and cure of the problem must come from taking preventive measures. The following strategic roadmap discusses corruption-reducing reforms that have the potential to instil enduring change.
- ✓ Technological Overhaul: Digital Governance and Transparency
Modern scholars agree that technology is one of the best tools in the fight against corruption since it reduces the influence of official discretion. Utilising e-governance solutions can improve the method of public service delivery and decrease the impact of bureaucracy and potential bribes. One such country is Estonia, which has integrated the ability of digital governance into its governmental services, eradicating corruption by enabling accountability records of all the transactions to be easily searchable. Similarly, Singapore’s government’s leverage of technology-based user interfaces has achieved a factor of minimising the delivery of services that may entail an interaction pervaded by corrupt practices. The opportunity for Pakistan and the advent of technologies that can alter public service management in a way that brings more accountability and transparency and for which the risk of corruption is relatively low exists.
- ✓ Decentralization of Accountability Mechanisms
Apart from the usage of technology in government departments, it is essential to decentralise the accountability framework if the fight against corruption is to be effective right from the grassroots. Promoting the institution of local accountability units is liable to prevent the emergence of networks of power that stifle pure and purposeful oversight attention from the central positions. The Indian example of Lokayukta may be duly used, including independent ombudspersons working at the state level to investigate corruption complaints. This approach helps respond to corruption nearer where it happens to avoid creating many layers where corruption is likely to be worsened by political influence. The decentralised implementation model is similar to Pakistan’s case, where quick investigations of corruption cases could be achieved through active participation of the public in the overseeing process and a localised approach to combating corruption.
- ✓ Public Participation and Whistleblower Protection
Evidently, the active participation of the public in the fight against corruption is coupled with the protection of whistleblowers in building an effective accountability environment. This means that when citizens can report corrupt practices without being harassed, such corrupt practices cannot be the order of the day. There are clear examples of nations that comprehensively address the issue of whistleblower protection, such as South Korea: the country’s legislation includes provisions that would encourage citizen participation in exposing corrupt officials while at the same time incorporating containment measures also in enhanced legal provisions offered to the whistleblowers. The same framework could be implemented in Pakistan, where leading companies continue to complement Pakistan’s economic future as the country undergoes sustained structural evolution. Protection was provided for the persons who reported corruption cases so they would not experience any form of harassment or retribution. Thus, calls for increased participation of citizens, awareness campaigns, and hotlines for reporting corrupt incidents would bolster the fight against corruption because citizens would become active participants.
Critically Analysis
To critically analyse, the Pakistani government has established multiple programs for anti-corruption. Yet, corruption remains endemic, which shows the organic problems in the country that make these efforts ineffective. Bodies such as the National Accountability Bureau (NAB), intended to fight corruption and concentrate on high-profile cases, also suffer from allegations of selective operations and political influence, thus eroding public confidence in these institutions. Also, the overhauls in public procurement and governance structures have yet to fully bust large-scale corrupt practices since more angling has emerged, pointing at inadequate compliance. Solutions like decentralising accountability tools and introducing digital governance are more progressive in eradicating corruption. The positive experience of such countries as India with its Lokayukta system or Singapore, which has implemented a large-scale e-governance program, shows that corruption will be diminished if the principles of transparency and accountability penetrate all layers. Still, for such measures to be effective in Pakistan, they require robust political will supported by judicial and legislative reform, with clear and strong whistleblower protection. If such problems are solved, those strategies can avoid repeating the cycle of inefficiency. In addition, emphasis should be placed on fighting corruption by changing society’s attitude from accepting corruption as the norm, which is a relatively lengthy process that will succeed if civil society, institutions, and individuals start working against corruption.
Conclusion
In conclusion, corruption continues to be one of the most significant issues faced by Pakistan. That is fuelled by poor institutional structures, political volatility, highly unequal income distribution and social degradation in which corruption has become the norm. Earlier efforts to combat corruption have been blunted by failure to demonstrate political will and lousy implementation. Therefore, the solution process is more than just a one-dimensional process. This points to a combination of a practical visionary plan that would involve decentralising accountability through devolution, embracing technology to promote transparency and the involvement of the people, and general judicial reformation. Learning from successful examples of other countries’ experiences, it can be stated that using a complex methodology and supporting actions by all sectors of society are required. Thus, no efforts should be ruled out. At the same time, society should begin to severely reject corruption and encourage the spirit of zero tolerance against it if Pakistan wants to possess a future filled with the spirit of intelligence, accountability and transparency.
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