ISLAMABAD highways are awash with banners and posters exhorting the passers-by to say ‘no’ to corruption. This shows that we are back to our peculiar way of ending national and societal challenges.

We have yet to learn that mere slogans, motivational speeches, masterfully choreographed and photographed demonstrations of parliamentarians and posters cannot wipe out the evils which have almost been legitimised and have become part of our daily life.

Nor such issues, including the scourge of corruption, can be eliminated by amplifying the fear or rewarding penalties of all kinds. A poor man with a too modest source of income would resort to any illegitimate act to make money, shrugging off the consequences of his action in this world and the hereafter. We can learn from the experience of South East Asian nations ending corruption from their bureaucracies and other ruling elites. As long as we do not rationalise salaries of government employees, getting rid of the phantom of corruption will remain a distant dream.

Second, streamlining of public-sector systems will enormously contribute towards reducing corrupt practices, and, above all, our leaders will have to set personal examples for the people to follow. The people don’t do what their rulers say, but they do what their rulers practise themselves.

Ada Fatima Malik

Islamabad

Published in Dawn March 26th , 2015

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