ISLAMABAD, Dec 9 (APP): Minister for Law, Justice and Human Rights Senator Pervaiz Rashid on Wednesday said there was zero tolerance for corruption in the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz government.
Speaking at a function on the occasion of International Anti-corruption Day he said that transparency and eradication of corruption were issues very close to the present elected government which strongly believed in impartial accountability.
The minister said that record bears out that no major corruption scandal had surfaced during the incumbency of the present government, which was striving hard to ensure consistency and sustainability of an accountable and transparent system.
He said that NAB being the apex accountability agency of the country was responsible for curbing corruption by means of three pronged strategy of awareness, prevention and enforcement, he said.
The minister said that corruption was a complex social, political and economic phenomenon that affected all countries. It undermined democratic institutions, slowed economic development and contributed to government’s instability, he added.
He said due to corruption in various countires, economic development was stunted because foreign direct investment was discouraged and small businesses within the country often found it impossible to overcome the “start-up costs.”
Corruption instilled a sense of despondency in the society and destroyed the social fabric by replacing its core values with tangible gains as social currency, he said.
Corruption was a menace which could not be addressed by legal, or administrative measures alone, he said adding it could only be eradicated when the civil society and the anti-corruption institutions like NAB worked alongside.
In order to mobilize the society, efforts were required to create awareness and the International Anti-Corruption Day provided a unique opportunity to create public awareness against corruption in various segments of the society.
Pervaiz Rashid said the people had to be sensitized that the menace of corruption was the basis of multifarious evils in the society, the minister said. It resulted into injustice, mistrust,
suspicion, extremism, sense of insecurity, increased poverty and added to the misfortune of the vulnerable segments of the society, the minister said.
“To live in a society, that is corruption-free, we need people with clarity of mind and thoughts and a sense of purpose. We must be courageous to stand for truth and raise our voice against injustice,” the minister said.
” As a nation, we must intensify our efforts more rigorously to minimize and reduce corruption and ultimately bring it to naught,” he added.
With the blessings of Allah Almighty and with concerted and well coordinated efforts “we will succeed and this nation as a whole would prosper and we would emerge as one of most respected and sort after destinations,” he said.
He said that NAB was performing effectively as it had achieved tremendous results since its inception. The elected government would fully support NAB in the drive against that menace and would encourage across the board accountability.
He said the society should mould, both individually and collectively, its way of life which truly reflects its clean image, beside embodying universal values of truth, justice and
fairplay.
The minister said that every one in the society should come forward to build a strong nation and a corruption free society and on this day should reiterate unflinching resolve to work
collectively and unite as a nation to eradicate corruption from the country.
