Corruption is chronic in Pakistan. But it seems that the present rulers, bureaucrats, technocrats and activists in my home province Sindh have decided to take the lead from other federating units. Several relevant examples of financial corruption can be cited here but a few for understanding the scale of corruption in Sindh province can be quoted here. A famous Larkana Flyover has developed cracks just after a few months of its opening, all the government hospitals are without medicines because money goes into the pockets of those who matter in the ministry and the ambulances are being used by the political party workers.
Furthermore, the local and national NGOs are making every effort to fleece the international relief organisations and donor agencies. Relief items are either stored to be given to the blue-eyed boys or let get rotten, or sold out at a throwaway price in black market. Huts are being made for the last year’s mega flood’s victims in district Dadu and Kashmore Kandh Kot. Broken and old drains are being repaired and substandard material is being used. The NGO workers are charging the international relief and donor organisations in full. The Pakistani employees of the INGOs are reported to be involved in financial corruption with the help of local workers. The victims, who work shoulder to shoulder with them, are raising a hue and cry about the poor quality of rehabilitation and reconstruction works but nobody bothers to look into the matter.
Regrettably, honest and committed officers, though difficult to find, are reported to be in hot waters. Their juniors man and manage them. However, the need of the hour is to devise effective strategy to combat corruption in all walks of life. I am confident that when corruption is stopped in the country, particularly in Sindh province, it will be the day when we wave goodbye to pervasive poverty and other socioeconomic evils. Population explosion in the country is really an alarming issue. It is reported that more than ten million illegal refugees are gulping down the resources of the province but it is not yet a lost cause. A strong political will is required to tackle the population boom and illegal immigrant influx in the country. This is all the more important in Sindh where people are still living in primitive age – devoid of all basic amenities with more than 70 percent of the population haing no access to potable water, what to speak of education and health care facilities.
With huge population, cities and towns have become polluted. Every city can be named sewer city. Political leaders have spent billions of rupees over showy and cosmetic projects but not even a single penny on productive, durable and sustainable civic projects have been used.
Like many others who understand the horrendous effects and side-effects of pollution, I am also concerned about them and appeal to the president and political leadership of the country to make collective efforts to address these monumental challenges; otherwise, we will be on a suicidal path.
HASHIM ABRO
Islamabad
Corruption in Sind is like an epidemic and the unfortunate reality is that it is open and nobody bothers. In fact it has been accepted as if it is part of the privileges of the paid government servants working in the interior and urban centres.
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