Curse of corruption
December 31, 2007
Although the Foreign Office has vehemently denied US allegations that American aid meant for the needy has been squandered, in the heart of hearts every Pakistani believes the allegations to be true. Corruption has become a way of life with us. We no longer regard it as an evil. Our political parties have omitted it from their manifestos and our religious sermons do not decry it.
With this kind of attitude, how can we hope to survive as a respectable nation? Every passing day sees us sinking more and more into this quagmire. Honesty is no more the best policy in Pakistan. People who talk of honesty are discarded as illusionists or mavericks. Whether it is an honest politician, a judge or a simple citizen, all have to pay very dearly for being honest. We have reached a stage where the average person simply cannot afford to be honest.
Was this the country we had dreamed of when creating Pakistan? Is this the Islam which our Prophet had taught us? The biggest culprits have been our religious and political leaders. It is they who could teach us through personal example that one can survive through honest means and that the biggest jihad is against the temptation of ill-gotten money in various forms.
Fardad Ali Shah
Chitral
With this kind of attitude, how can we hope to survive as a respectable nation? Every passing day sees us sinking more and more into this quagmire. Honesty is no more the best policy in Pakistan. People who talk of honesty are discarded as illusionists or mavericks. Whether it is an honest politician, a judge or a simple citizen, all have to pay very dearly for being honest. We have reached a stage where the average person simply cannot afford to be honest.
Was this the country we had dreamed of when creating Pakistan? Is this the Islam which our Prophet had taught us? The biggest culprits have been our religious and political leaders. It is they who could teach us through personal example that one can survive through honest means and that the biggest jihad is against the temptation of ill-gotten money in various forms.
Fardad Ali Shah
Chitral
