Nizam Rahim Baloch
Since the announcement of more than twenty five thousand jobs in Balochistan, a mix of responses seems emerging from the masses believing corruption as a virus penetrated deeply in social and economic fabric of Balochistan. The arrest of Chairman of Balochistan Public Service Commission (PCS) and Advisor to Chief Minister over corruption charges shows that how the wealth of the province is being plundered. A holistic analysis of Balochistan portrays a peculiar image as a variety of challenges have made it the epicentre of economic, social and political issues. The governance in Pakistan in general and in Balochistan in particular, is very poor. All measures, which determine good governance, are very timidly at work in Balochistan. Accountability, transparency, rule of law, equality of shares in services and revenue are likely to be found nowhere in Balochistan. In fact, it is too puzzling to see the given mandate of the people being exploited in different ways as the power sharing methodology by two parties seems quite legitimate to materialize the fact.
To say it plundering of wealth, manipulating labourers or misuse of mandate, the termite (corruption) has no limits while eroding a ship wrecked or brand new! It consumes everything with bringing economy to the ground. Additionally, corruption neither has single modus operandi nor a singal definition; it changes with the time elapsed and the repercussions of corruption are the clear proof of fragile administrative and political systems. In Balochistan, after it was given the status of a province in 1970, the flow of funds directly came to the province through provincial assembly and civil bureaucracy. Here the massive corruption got momentum due to the lack of accountability. A large amount was embezzled through various channels and a large portion was concealed in foreign banks by members of legislative assemblies as well as provincial elite. Undoubtedly, today corruption is an endemic menace in public sector of Balochistan.
However, The recent drives against corruption have augmented hopes, but a majority of ordinary people complain that the corrupt elite prefers to be arrested and washed through the NAB’S ‘Dry-Cleaning Process’ known as plea-bargaining in political terms. They deposit a meagre part of the looted wealth to the NAB and are reincarnated as a ‘holy cow’, which is enough to extract votes from the beguile masses in next elections. Corruption is not an individual behaviour nor is it limited to a specific group rather it is the enemy of justice and results in instability and violence. Kofi Anan¸ the former UN Secretary General, put the price of corruption at the 2004’s UN Convention against corruption by calling it an “Insidious Plague that has a wide range of corrosive effect on societies.”
Balochistan’s problems are complex given an imbalanced security structure. The corruption issue cannot be resolved with the enormous powers given to the security apparatus which is considered to be interference in political arrangements of provincial legislative body. Systematic and institutionalized corruption is an immediate challenge to sustainable progress in Balochistan. It is the need of the hour to deal with the corruption with iron hands as it is hindering development of the province as for as the issue underdevelopment of Balochistan is concerned.
Additionally, the centre-province differences have augmented the intensity of underdevelopment. Although, the 18th constitutional amendment is considered as a landmark in empowering the provinces yet so far the benefits have not been reachable to the people of Balochistan. In Balochistan, corruption has also created a sense of alienation among common people. It is the menace of corruption that puts the governance on the lowest ebb and hurts economy badly.
To avoid further deteriorating consequences of corruption in Balochistan, it would be more prudent to initiate accountability measures on the principle of across-the-board accountability in place of targeting specific groups or institution. The experience of the states that have successfully cured the corruption disease must be taken as a tool to eradicate corruption. The political elite of Balochistan are the main beneficiaries of corruption. The-check-and-balance syndrome over luxurious life of MPAs seems a chronic disease for masses to cure. Common people of Balochistan are unable to see the result of the so-called development schemes. Thus, the corruption issue needs dire attention in order to remove barriers impeding the development of the province. The integrated terms, prosperity and development, seem elusive until the menace of corruption is rooted out from the province. The sooner it is eradicated, the better outcome would emerge in the shape of prosperity and development.
Disclaimer: Views expressed in this article are those of the author and Balochistan Voices not necessarily agrees with them.
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