Transparency International Corruption Report-News Analysis

by Sana Saleem on September 24, 2009

Here are some of the analysis done by mainstream media on the corruption report by Transparency International. The gist of the report can be found here.

Ansar Abbassi for The News suggests that “Transparency indicts Pakistan at critical time”

In an obvious rebuke to President Asif Zardari’s efforts to seek massive aid from the world community, the global anti-corruption watchdog, the Transparency International, issued a stinging indictment on the eve of a high-profile New York meeting of the Friends of Democratic Pakistan, saying: “How can one expect from any donor to come forward to assist Pakistan from its current financial crisis, when there exist no law against corruption.

Abbassi then goes on to mention that the author Adil Gillani suggests that anti-corruption efforts in the country had taken a 180 degree turn since Gen Pervez Musharraf issued the National Reconciliation Ordinance on October 5, 2007. This could surely be a very embarrassing point for our President who is currently on ‘ask for funds’ spree.

A press release issued in Islamabad and New York, Syed Adeel Gilani, Chairman TI Pakistan, said the NRO has also granted further protection to the parliamentarians, as no sitting member of parliament or a provincial assembly can be arrested without taking into consideration the recommendations of the special parliamentary committees on ethics, which are not formed yet.

Dawn Reports:

The TIP asked parliament to immediately form an independent accountability commission, as committed by all major political parties to stop the abuse of public office for private gains and the new commission should have powers to hold accountable local government’s elected members like nazims, councillors, government officers, armed forces’ officers, judiciary and the private sector.

These accusations has raised serious questions on the creditability of the current democratic Government. While President Zardari has been making naive statements such as ‘confessing back door deals on Musharraf’s resignation.Ever since his appointment the President has hardly spent any time in the Country and has been on foreign trips round the clock. These foreign trips have been widely criticized,scrutinized and objected repeatedly meeting no significant change from the President’s end.

The recent reactions from Fauzia Wahab have been of crying propaganda. The fact is that no matter how far fetch these figures might appear to some, the negligence of the President and his party make it rather easier to believe. It will not be surprisingly if most people agree with what the report claims.If the democratic Government still fails to realize this and continues with its strategies, this might as well prove to be quite a tactful propaganda to destabilize the Government.

It is hoped that the President will take note of this and make sure he tried to get back the trust of the majority. After all there should be some difference between a military dictatorship and a democratic Government.