ISLAMABAD:Like other parts of the world, the International Anti-Corruption day with the theme for year 2021 “Your right, your role: say no to corruption” was observed in Pakistan.
The UN International Corruption Day was observed on December 9 every year across the world mainly to raise public awareness against corruption and its elimination.
Seminars, workshops, rallies, symposiums were held in various cities including provincial and federal capitals to commemorate the day.
The observance of this day is aimed at highlighting rights and responsibilities of every individual, which includes states, government officials, civil servants, law enforcement officers, media representatives, the private sector, civil society and so on.
Corruption comes in various forms such as bribery, law-breaking without dealing with the consequences in a fair manner, unfairly amending election processes and results, and covering mistakes or silencing whistle blowers (those who expose corruption in hope that justice would be served).
Corruption affects every area in our society and preventing corruption unlocks progress towards sustainable development goals.
Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Political Communication Dr Shahbaz Gill said Prime Minister Imran Khan has waged 22-year struggle for corruption free Pakistan.
In a statement issued in connection with World Anti-Corruption Day, he said International Anti-Corruption Day was being observed here like rest of the world. “Corruption Day needs to be celebrated every day in Pakistan as PML-N and PPP corruption cannot be eliminated in a day,” he said.
Gill said people fully supported the PM in this corruption free Pakistan struggle. For the first time in the country’s history, the powerful were held accountable before the law, he said. He said it was top priority of the government to purge law enforcement agencies from political interference.
Special Assistant to Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on Information Barrister Muhammad Ali Saif said that the government had strong commitment to eliminate corruption which was the biggest obstacle to socio-economic development.
In a message on the International anti-corruption day, the CM’s aide said the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government believed in merit and transparency and it had zero tolerance against corrupt elements and practices at any level.
He said that Prime Minister Imran Khan had unwavering commitment against corruption and had put the country o the path of development and progress.
In Lahore, the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Punjab organized a seminar in connection with the day. Speaking on the occasion, Punjab Minister for Higher Education and Information Technology Raja Yasir Humayun reaffirmed the government commitment to free society from corruption, saying that it was needed to adopt a zero tolerance policy for completely eradicating corruption from the country.
To mark “International Anti Corruption Day” under United Nation’s convention against corruption, the Anti Corruption Establishment (ACE) Hyderabad organized an awareness rally at Shahbaz building. Carrying banners inscribed with slogans against corruption, the Deputy Director ACE Naeem Ahmed Abassi and Additional Regional Director Social Welfare Department Mehboob u Zaman led the rally from Shahbaz building to office of Post Master General which was attended by large number of people including employees of different government departments.
Meanwhile, Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar termed corruption a big social evil and dacoity on public rights.
In his message on Anti-Corruption day, the CM said the PTI has come into power to eliminate corruption from the country. There is no room for the corrupt and the government has adopted a zero-tolerance policy against corruption, he emphasised.
The PTI-led government is committed to introduce transparency in every sector as it has brought the big fish under the net of the law.
Balochistan Governor Syed Zahoor Agha said the corruption was one of the biggest and most serious problems in the country which has affected every sphere of life. In a message in connection with World Anti-Corruption Day, he said the elimination of corruption was essential for development of the country as no nation could be developed owing to presence of corruption.
The Islamia University of Bahawalpur (IUB) in collaboration with the Higher Education Commission Pakistan, Higher Education Department Punjab and National Accountability Bureau (NAB) organized an awareness seminar and walk on International Anti-Corruption Day.
Renowned columnist and senior journalist Naeem Masood delivered a special lecture on the occasion. He said that every individual in society has to make an individual effort to eradicate corruption.