ISLAMABAD: President Mam­noon Hussain said on Monday that law was taking its course against plunderers of national resources and time had come to ensure effective accountability.

Addressing a seminar at the Presidency on ‘Accountability and Good Governance’, he called for exemplary punishment for people involved in corrupt practices irrespective of their status in order to eradicate corruption from the country. “For this purpose all related departments should expedite their anti-corruption activities to meet the public expectations,” he said.

The president’s statement came at a time when Sindh Rangers and the National Accountability Bureau are investigating alleged corruption in different departments of Sindh.

“State institutions should ensure corruption-free good governance as per aspirations of the people for putting the country on the track of sustainable growth and development,” the president said.

The seminar was organised by the Prime Minister’s Inspection Commission (PMIC). The president also inaugurated PMIC’s helpline 1818 and expressed hope that it would further contribute to curbing corruption and addressing people’s grievances.

‘All related departments should expedite their anti-corruption activities’

He said the country faced humiliation in the world because of corruption and bad governance in the past. “The reason is that some important public offices were occupied by those people who neither focused on good governance nor tried to eradicate corruption from society. Had it not happened, many national and peoples’ problems would have been solved,” he said.

President Hussain said uniformity in state departments regarding accountability and good governance was a healthy development which indicated that the country had a bright future.

He stressed the need for strengthening the resolve at political, executive and judicial level for ensuring effective accountability and good governance as per international standards so that Pakistani nation and institutions could compete with developed nations.

“For eradication of a social evil like corruption it is imperative to focus on spiritual growth, moral development and religious values of the masses. The basis of this complex phenomenon is not only social injustice but also shying away from religious and moral values,” he said.

Regarding good governance, the participants of the seminar were informed that the Planning Commission was devising a plan for reforms in bureaucracy.

“It is a good step and I hope it will bear positive results,” the president said, adding: “Ways of good governance have changed in the changing world and now devolution of power to lower level and reduction in expenditure are being emphasised upon.”

He called for making use of e-government and teleconferencing facilities for reducing government expenditure and enhancing its performance.

He underlined the need for adopting openness and modern methods to bring transparency to public procurement and contracting system.

Addressing the seminar, Prime Minister’s Adviser on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz said conditions for investments were improving because of a “significant decline in terrorism” in the country. “Strong and stable economy helps overcome the challenges confronting the country,” he added.

Published in Dawn, June 30th, 2015

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