The National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO) was a controversial ordinance issued by the former President of Pakistan, General Pervez Musharraf, on 5 October 2007. It granted amnesty to politicians, political workers and bureaucrats who were accused of corruption, embezzlement, money laundering, murder, and terrorism between 1 January 1986, and 12 October 1999, the time between two states of martial law in Pakistan.

A reality, corruption must increase before it decreases. Emboldened media exposes unreluctantly and also political rivals exaggerate corruption. Also it shows more refined transparency system that uncovers meager details too.

It has become a daily practice as if our govt has legalized taking bribes in country

e.g making law that only mphill can teach, not dealing with unemployment, our people don’t want to study in government schools but are so desperate to be employed in government sector. Doesn’t this mindset says it all? Public servants have to realize that they are to serve ppl not to serve their entire families and friends and their friends and their friends….

PUBLIC servants won’t even attend u without being gifted with cash

A curse that cause poverty and is caused by poverty too………• Companies colluding to fix prices in their industries

• Drivers bribing a police officer to avoid speeding tickets

• Political party officials rigging elections

• Companies selling their faulty products

Every man for himself attitude, lack of law enforcement, accountability, enforcement

Even saving in govt section is corruption bcz purpose is not fulfilled tht is why, at the end of a development year tenure FY, the already built roads are rebuilt

Main: laws are made to prevent crime. The more crimes observed the more laws are formulated. The more restrictions u impose, the more it would be difficult to ppl to live their desired life and they would rebel it.

Corruption is not only bribes and embezzlements. The betrayal of one’s commitment or trust, the breach of financial or material norms of morality is also corruption. Using a holy name for personal or worldly motives can also be corruption. Corruption is a consuming sickness with a strongly contagious character. All of us know that it has disrupted our social, political and spiritual life in Pakistan.

Corruption is like dodder, the yellow vine that wraps around trees and saps their life. Once it falls on a society it is a curse that grows from one branch to the next and then to the next until nothing remains visible, except a yellow sickness of corruption. Even such guardians of morality as religious and academic institutions become deeply corrupt. The struggle against an evil depends on the ethical standards of a society; it is our response of dismissal or approval that matters. Corrupt attitudes cannot combat corruption. A corrupt supervisor aids corruption by asking his share, thus, adding to the sum total of disaster. Armed forces and the judiciary, which a society nourishes with its blood to act as its immune system, join the invading parasite; these killer cells then no more fight the intruder but instead attack the body they are deputed to defend.

In our case, corruption was twin-born with Pakistan. Those who now dominate this society carefully conceal Pakistan’s history of the early years. They talk of corruption but do not discuss its genesis and causes. It is an inglorious chapter of early Pakistan, wherein lie the roots of corruption, opportunism, religious blackmail and a lack of empathy.

Our leadership had no vision of the problems our people would face in partition. There was, therefore, no plan for the rehabilitation of refugees. While our bleeding immigrants rotted in camps, the widespread plunder and occupation of the Hindu and Sikh evacuee property proceeded like an Eid festival. The clever opportunist got the best of god’s plenty.

“The lack of political will on the part of the governments to make laws work means that government action to fight corruption is largely ineffective,

From a report of Transparency International

Corruption is defined by the World Bank and Transparency International (TI) as “the misuse of public office for private gain.” As such, it involves the improper and unlawful behaviour of public-service officials, both politicians and civil servants, whose positions create opportunities for the diversion of money and assets from government to them and their accomplices. Corruption distorts resource allocation and government performance. The causes of its development are many and vary from one country to the next. Among the contributing factors are policies, programs and activities that are poorly conceived and managed, failing institutions, poverty, income disparities, inadequate civil servants’ remuneration, and a lack of accountability and transparency?

My nation is married to corruption

I wonder if she will ever see redemption

He had come to her with sweet scent and song

His aura full of attraction

She couldn’t refuse the temptation

For she was so naive and young

And didn’t see the hidden danger

Behind his charming face

If she had warily observed the stranger

She would’ve seen that all he has was damage

And what was in his eyes was not love but evil

She would’ve seen he was a devil

Didn’t she hear of his history?

That he put his lovers in misery

And before his evil deed is noticed

He must have gone far

And if ever the pain is eased

There must be an undoable scar

But she accepted him whole

And embrace him with an open soul

He responded by grinding her heart

Instead of a caress, he gave her a thorny scrub

Took her from the light to the dark

Sapped her beauty and made her an ugly muck

I wonder if she will ever be free

Because when I look at her lost hope is what I see

I wonder if she will ever have a divorce

Or is the marriage for better for worse?

Lands of any state are never corrupt. These always continue to grow crops, offer mineral & water resources and accommodate citizens. Owners of a home built and maintained at the cost of sacrifices of lives, honour and assets of life long physical and mental hardships, will never even think of destroying it. Evidently for internationally declared corrupt states of the world, corrupt politicians are the culprits. They are personification of destructive corruption in the states. Their misappropriations are the source of incentive for illegal gains in departments and all categories of business. No state is corrupt, no nation is corrupt and no nation is unprincipled. Top corrupt leadership, in all circumstances, sustains and promotes corruptions and misappropriations. Transparency International’s term ‘Corrupt States’ stands to be ambiguous and as such must be replaced by ‘Corrupt Politicians’ States’.

‘Corruption’, is a word easy to speak, but embezzlement of hundreds of billions per annum in one single state, forming a sizeable part of its annual budget, demands culprits behind bars in punishment for depriving poors of adequate meals and medical treatment, in cities and in far flung areas.

Corrupt individuals joining politics are the product of anti social mode of rearing by basically or practically Godless parents or guardians, devoid of concern for all human beings. They do not abide by any of the recognized codes of conduct. Their past comprises of successive failures and disappointments. These consciousless miserable dwindling creatures, ready to do anything illegal and inhuman for anybody, are badly needed by heterogeneous political jumbles, not believing in any religion including religion of humanity, having no knowledge or sense for politics, no concern for welfare for states & citizens, and no foresight for future generations. Their group is expert only in duping credulous illiterate masses by ever new modified false promises for grabbing the power chairs and states’ resources, for misappropriation. Anything beneficial they do is simply to give coverage to their loots. When they issue an extra ordinary statement in favour of citizens like –– ‘My life and everything owned by me is for the people and the state’, rest assured, without any doubt, that a large scale embezzlement is in the offing and this has been proved in history and experience. There are considerable

sources of gaining riches, without any investment, in art of movie acting and modeling, but these fields require talents with physical and mental hard work. Both of these qualities are hells away from individuals joining politics for looting, in states with less than 85% literacy level and profuse number of slums.

Groups of corrupt politicians of so called corrupt states very sensitively concentrate on misshaping true democracy to win the votes. By doing so, they themselves abuse democracy and then raise prodigious hue and cry for democracy to be in danger. They pay special attention to the vote bank which they maintain by hook or crook. For example, if the vote bank flourishes through medium of crimes, they give free hand to criminals. Where the masses are religious, they will be frequently seen in shrines and places of worship, inspite of being highly seductive to the very idea of religion. As matter of fact, where there is mention of vote bank, there is declared neglect of interests of the state and generations. There is only one dominant desire and that is keeping a particular group in ruling position. Religion, God’s accountability, Holy Books, good character etc are meaningless for them, if vote bank is not strong enough to afford them ruling position in the state. Aggregate of their behaviour shows that they are dead sure that they will never retire or die and there is no God to whom they can be answerable. Verily in non corrupt states the politicians’ dominant concentration rests on the nations and generations whether or not the voters agree with their mode of planning

What to talk of a whole group of politicians, one single corrupt politician worstly affects the lives of thousands of men women and children. Adulteration mafia encouraged by his boundless corruptions, depletes the diet value of meager meals of the poors, making them easy prey to numerous major and minor diseases. He does not understand that public dealing individuals and stockists of edibles are encouraged by his corruptions, affecting every aspect of lives of citizens especially the poor. From the lines of history, Nausherwan Adil Anushiravan the Just (531–579 CE), of Iran asked his attendant to bring a small quantity of food salt from the nearby village, ordering him to make payment for that. On an expression of surprise on the face of the attendant in consideration to insignificant price of the salt, Nausherwan explained that if ruler grabs an apple from orchard without payment, all his employees will loot the entire orchard. So what to talk of a whole group of corrupt politician one single corrupt politician spreads corruption from

top to bottom. Incentive grips employees of all government and private departments, shopkeepers and down to cobbler on roadside

1. What is corruption?

Defining corruption can be a challenge. It takes many forms, and perpetrators are skilled in developing new ways to be corrupt and cover their tracks. Much thought has been devoted to developing different definitions of corruption but, despite its complex nature, most people can recognise a corrupt act when they see it.

Corruption may be defined as ‘the abuse of entrusted power for private gain’[1]. This definition captures three elements of corruption. One, corruption occurs in both the public and private sectors (and media and civil society actors are not exempt). Two, it involves abusing power held in a state institution or a private organisation. Three, the bribe-taker (or a third party or, for example, an organisation such as a political party) as well as the bribe-giver benefit, whether it be in terms of money or an undue advantage. Sometimes the ‘advantage’ gained by the bribe-giver may not be ‘undue’ or clear cut but is nonetheless an advantage. For example, in a corrupt society where the right to access public services such as health or education can be only secured by paying an unlawful bribe, those who can afford to pay have an advantage over those who cannot. In such circumstances the bribe-givers’ ‘benefit’ is merely that which is his or her rightful due and bribe-takers receive an advantage for carrying out functions that they are obliged anyway to perform.

Corruption is often described as either ‘grand’ or ‘petty’ (petty corruption is also described as ‘administrative’). Grand corruption typically takes place at the top levels of the public sphere and the senior management levels of business, where policies and rules are formulated and executive decisions are made. It also often involves large sums of money (political corruption is another common term that may be used to refer to grand corruption more generally or specifically to the negative influence of money in political campaigns and political parties).

Small scale, administrative or petty corruption is the everyday corruption that takes place at the implementation end of politics, where public officials meet the public. Petty corruption is most commonly found as bribery in connection with the implementation of existing laws, rules and regulations, or in abuse of power in daily situations (e.g., the traffic police who takes money every day from taxi drivers in return for not harassing them further). It usually involves modest sums of money in any given exchange. However, endemic petty corruption can result in great costs and can place serious stress on the functioning of state systems, in a way comparable to grand corruption.

It is important to note the nuances in trying to categorize different manifestations of corruption. There is not a clear division between where petty corruption ends and grand corruption begins: lowly officials who demand illegal payments from citizens may be doing so because they have to pay a cut of their salaries to their managers, who pay a cut to their superiors, stretching all the way up to the most senior state officials.

2. Why does corruption matter for development?

Corruption costs: Citizens are compelled to pay for services that should be free; state budgets are pillaged by corrupt politicians; public spending is distorted as decision-makers focus spending on activities likely to yield large bribes like major public works; foreign investment is stymied as businesses are reluctant to invest in uncertain environments; and economies suffer.

But corruption not only costs in terms of money. It costs in terms of public trustand citizens’ willingness to participate in their societies. Corruption often has links to organized crime and fosters, as well as thrives, in conflict and war. Indeed, high levels of corruption can increase the likelihood of a protracted conflict or a post-conflict society sliding back into war. Efforts to tackle climate change can also be undermined by corruption as bribes are paid to ignore environmental protection rules in the pursuit of quick profits. In these ways state security and the very values of democracy are undermined and the fulfilment of development goals is threatened.

3. Types of corruption

Many types of corrupt acts are proscribed in criminal and administrative law in different countries. The UN Convention against Corruption (explored further in section 5) sets out the types of corrupt criminal behaviour that signatory states are obliged or recommended to introduce into their legal systems. Acts can also be corrupt even if the law does not proscribe them, and this speaks to the often slippery and complex nature of corruption. Its manifestations constantly evolve and are not always captured by criminal or administrative law, hence (as discussed in section 5) prevention, rather than solely punishment, is emphasised by anti-corruption practitioners.

In this section some of the most common types of corrupt acts as set out in UNCAC are described.

Bribery takes place when a person with authority accepts or solicits a bribe to exercise a function in a particular way. A kickback is similar to a bribe but usually refers to a payment

given in return for receiving a contract, which is ‘kicked back’ to someone involved in awarding the contract. Bribery of foreign officials by private sector actors is also a crime in many countries.[2] Even if a bribe does not take place in a company’s country of origin, it may still be punishable by the home country’s authorities. The fact that not all countries proscribe such behaviour illustrates the point above that not all corrupt acts are always illegal.

Trading in influence or influence peddling is a form of bribery. For example, a person promises to exert an improper influence over the decision-making process of a public official or private sector actor in return for an undue advantage. Typically this form of corruption can be perpetrated by those in prominent positions or with political power or connections. Such persons’ connection to power, that is to say their ‘influence’, is traded for money or an undue advantage. Not all countries criminalise this form of corruption, despite the fact that international conventions on corruption, including UNCAC, recommend its criminalisation.

Illicit enrichment refers to a situation in which officials cannot explain their wealth in relation to the income they lawfully earn. The wealth that is not explicable may be the proceeds of a bribe or a form of stealing such as embezzlement, misappropriation, concealment of property, money laundering or false accounting. All these corrupt behaviours could also occur in the private sector.

4. Conditions that facilitate corruption

Corruption can grow in a variety of political and economic environments, though it particularly thrives where accountable governance structures and processes are weak. It is important to keep in mind, however, that weak governance does not necessarily lead to corrupt acts – indeed there may be many honest people acting honestly or behaviors that result from incompetence or mismanagement rather than corruption.

While the importance of different factors can vary from place to place and from time to time, it seems that, for corruption to flourish, certain key pre-conditions are necessary. This section describes four pre-conditions that facilitate corruption:

One, corruption is facilitated if there exists a set of imperatives and incentives that encourage someone to engage in corrupt transactions. These may include, for example, low and irregular salaries for officials with large dependent families. Such officials may feel compelled to become corrupt. Social norms can also create incentives to participate in corruption. For example, norms that encourage giving favorable treatment to particular people (such as family members or those affiliated with your political group). Political pressure can also persuade people into acting corruptly, for example when a political candidate favours an individual or a group, in detriment of the public good, in return for votes.

Two, the availability of multiple opportunities for personal enrichmentincreases the temptation of corruption. Some economic environments are much more conducive to corruption, in particular mineral and oil rich environments are more fertile territories than those relying on subsistence agriculture. The size and growth of public resources will help define the possibilities for corruption, and extensive discretion over the allocation of those resources provides opportunities for corrupt behaviour.

Three, access to and control over the means of corruption. Incentive and opportunity create the possibility, but there have to be ways of actually engaging in corruption. These might include control over an administrative process such as tendering or having access to offshore accounts and the techniques of money laundering.

Four, limited risks of exposure and punishment. Corruption will thrive where there are inadequate and ineffective controls. A lack of policing, detection and prosecution encourages corruption Weak internal controls such as financial management, auditing, and personnel systems are also facilitating conditions. Where the media and civil society are controlled and censored, corrupt politicians and officials have less to fear.