Time warp

LAHORE: It is a common practice in our society to take for granted that edibles contain some adulterant content, and that imported products bypass duties and taxes. In respectable nations, these are national crimes and met with abhorrence.

Wealthy individuals often evade proper taxation, believing it won't impact their societal standing. Respect in our society is unfortunately associated with wealth, regardless of how it was acquired. Illegality is not a significant stigma, while poverty carries a heavy burden of disrespect. This culture hinders our nation's prosperity, akin to the downfall of banana republics.

No nation could ever prosper with this culture. In fact, countries where this culture flourish mostly end up as banana republics. We are fortunate that some sane souls are still active in Pakistan that are trying to bring transparency and decency in our human dealings. The cry for transparency was first highlighted during the second Benazir era when Pakistan was rated the second most corrupt country in the world by Transparency International.

Since then the TI index has become a barometer of governance and transparency in Pakistan. Unfortunately we have never leaped forward in transparency scores and even three decades later maximum transparency points scored by our country has never exceeded 34 percent meaning thereby that 64 percent of the governance is in gray area.

Years after year the same institutions have been rated most corrupt in our country and these institutions are crucial for maintaining sanity and order in the country. The transparency reports on these institutions are confirmed by other rating agencies. For instance, the judiciary in Pakistan is even rated amongst the last five in the world. Still the judiciary much revered in our country the judges of highest to lowest court command respect of every citizen. Is it not in line with our culture of respecting the powerful? One fails to understand how an institution can be given so much respect when it delays decisions by decades. The lower judiciary is famous for such delays but even the superior judiciary has kept many cases in cold storage.

Police is the most corrupt institution in the country. Police officers command high respect.

The high officials move about under heavy security; the force deployed on them undermine the security of the public at large. The police stations tell horror stories. It is said that after arresting an alleged criminal they have tricks in their bag to make them confess even those crimes that the alleged criminals never committed. Genuine complaints of the citizen are never registered without influence or bribe. The investigating officer determines the fate of the complaint on the basis of graft he receives from the complainant or accused.

The Federal Board of Revenue, consistently one of the most corrupt institutions, handles a significant portion of the nation's revenue. Reforms haven't yielded improvements; instead, increased loopholes have led to higher bribery rates.

We will remain a struggling nation until we shift our allegiance from power to principles. Only then can we hope to achieve true progress.