International Anti-Corruption Day 9th December

December 9 is celebrated as International Anti-Corruption Day in Pakistan. This day reminds us of grim reality that we are stuck with a corrupt system due to prolonged poor governance and lack of accountability. 
Corruption,  no more an offense has been order of the day in almost all walks of life. Those involved, feel no more defensive and it is taken as an acceptable services charges in the administrative system. 
Transparency International reports show that corruption has increased in Pakistan as the country dropped to 34th from 42nd in the ranking of global corruption index.  The report titled the National Corruption Perception Survey 2010 showed a high rise in corruption from 195 billion rupees in the year 2009 to 223 billion rupees in the year 2010. 
Bureaucracy and Police had maintained their ranking as the two of the  most corrupt departments in  public sector in 2010. Land administration departments were placed third in corrupt practices. Corruption in the judiciary, local government and education sectors has also increased as compared to the last year.
Daily Dawn 18 Feb, 2010, highlights the important point of reports from International Crisis Group (ICG), as, “There was a dramatic rise in military encroachments as retired generals were appointed to key civil posts, such as the chairmanship of the Federal Public Service Commission, the premier agency for recruitment and promotions,” It says: “The military regime’s poorly-conceived devolution of power led to further administrative confusion and the breakdown of service delivery at the district level, the key administrative unit of governance. The decision to vest revenue and law and order functions in nazims (mayors), elected indirectly and on a non-party basis, led to greater collusion between unscrupulous district officials and corrupt police. “Low salaries, insecure tenure, and obsolete accountability mechanisms have spawned widespread corruption and impunity. Recruitments, postings and promotions are increasingly made on the basis of personal contacts and political affiliation, instead of on merit.” 
The civil service’s falling standards impact mostly on the poor, with the widening social and economic divisions between the privileged and underprivileged. 
With citizens increasingly affected by conflict and militancy, including millions displaced by fighting in the North West Frontier Province (NWFP) and the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata), the government’s ability to ensure law and order and provide services such as education and healthcare will be vital to winning the hearts and minds of the public, and restoring links between the citizen and the state. 


The National Accountability Bureau is Pakistan's apex anti-corruption organization. It was charged with the responsibility of elimination of corruption through a holistic approach of awareness, prevention and enforcement since1999, with its headquarter at Islamabad. It has four regional offices in the provincial capitals and one at Rawalpindi.
NAB has been trying to control corruption but its command has been changing from government to Judiciary and reported to still have some confusions on mechanism of operation. So far NAB was authorized to investigate 4026 cases of corruption, out 1455 cases were finalized, 2043 cases closed and 528 cases are in the progress. Cases investigated so far pertained 63.16 percent to government servants, 10.52 to businessmen an d26.32 to other categories of corruption.
NAB has also been striving to educate public and government functionaries, how to avoid and detect corruption incidents.
NAB, judiciary, policing etc can not deliver until or unless the governments elected through thoughtful vote by the public demonstrate political will.
Its individual and collective responsibility of public and government functionaries to avoid temptations linked with  socio-moral, financial and political corruption. In other case we leave mess for future generations in legacy.