Masses to come forward against corruption: Senator Siraj ul Haq

Lahore: Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) Pakistan chief Senator Siraj-ul-Haq has urged masses to realise their rights and come forward against corruption. He also announced to hold a sit-in against corruption in Punjab on April 8th.

He announced this on Monday while delivering presidential address at a seminar entitled: Establishment of Corruption Free Pakistan, held by JI Karachi, here at a local hotel.

He said that tolerance to corruption is tantamount to being involved in it as per the teachings of Islam. He urged people across the country to stand firmly against the corruption. He added that  the back to back governments have used corruption to fool masses and strengthen their personal interests, instead of pushing the national agenda.

The JI leader said that it has been proven in the history that any nation could not progress with the help of international monitory institutions like the World Bank and International Monitory Fund.

He said that being a nation we do not need any enemy other than corruption to wipe us out from the earth.

He said that the ruling regimes are so much morally corrupt that they even embezzled the  humanitarian add, issued for the people, displaced due to natural disasters.

Siraj urged the people from all walks of life to own the campaign against corruption. He said that the nation needs to increased pressure on the authorities to ensure transparency.

Renowned Economist and Columnist Shahid Hassan Siddiqui said that corruption has penetrated in the bases and foundations of the society. He was of the opinion that corruption should be hit at its roots.

Talking about the role of NAB and other departments established to eliminate corruption, he noted that these departments themselves are raised on a corrupt system. He revealed that the officials of these departments often told lies before masses.

He said that Tax Amnesty  schemes are quite contrary to the Constitution but are openly accepted in our country. He made it clear that Islamic Republic of Pakistan is the only country where such schemes are launched proudly.

He said that Pakistan’s payable liabilities are worth 68 billion dollars, while the amount of Pakistanis, being deposited in banks abroad are worth 350 billion dollars.  He added that the government has been offering eight percent interest on Euro bonds but is not ready to offer its half percentage to those Pakistanis who can change the fate of Pakistan’s economy.

He was confident that Pakistan’s all miseries can be eliminated if the government becomes serious in curbing corruption.

Adil Geelani, Adviser to Transparency International, in his speech proposed, while quoting Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah, that corruption should be handled with iron hand.

He said that anti-corruption departments have increased the problems instead of mitigating it. Highlighting the recent activism of the National Accountability Bureau, he said that no solid outcome has become so far because laws are flawed and the authorities are apparently not serious in eliminating corruption.

Quoting a former chairman of Nab, he said that Rs12billion are raised as corruption on daily basis. Keeping the statics in view, during last 16 years since its inception, Nab has recovered only the amount plundered in two days.

He said that corruption has been legalized in the country and blue eyed people are provided with lands with only criteria of favoritism while they are

Intellectual and Columnist Shahnawaz Farooqui said that corruption is being considered and treated among masses as a political issue, instead of a disease related to personal behavior and personality itself.

He was of the view that corruption has widened the gap among various economy based classes in the society.

Talking about the moral aspects of corruption, he said that the ongoing spree of materialism and capitalism that compel people to live a luxury centric lifestyle open doors for corruption.  He further added that in this money centric society, money and purchasing power have become the symbol of nobility. This situation has pushed the society towards moral deficit and corruption.

He was of the view that the only way to eliminate corruption from the society is that hearts of its members would be filled with the love of Allah Almighty or the love for people. He concluded that only a love centric society can get rid of corruption.

JI Karachi chief Engr. Hafiz Naeem-ur-Rehman in his inaugural session said that corruption became such a deep rooted malaise that cannot be uprooted  through only a campaign and added that a comprehensive drive, involving all stakeholders, is needed to address the issue.