THIS refers to the news report ‘Corruption fuels extremism, warns US’ (April 16). In the wake of the turmoil in Pakistan following the Panama papers, the US State Department has warned that ‘corruption fuels extremism, increases economic instability and has a corrosive effect on society’.

Alluding to the state of affairs prevailing in Pakistan, it states: “Corruption was pervasive in politics and government, and various politicians and public office holders faced allegations of corruption, including bribery, extortion, cronyism, nepotism, patronage, graft, and embezzlement.”

About police, it says, ‘corruption within lower levels of police was common. Some police officials charged fees to register genuine complaints and accepted bribes for registering false complaints. Bribes to avoid charges were commonplace’.

It does not miss out the judiciary and highlights ‘anecdotal reports persisted about corruption in the judicial system, including reports of small-scale facilitation payments requested by court staff. Lower courts reportedly remained corrupt, inefficient, and subject to pressure from higher-ranking judges as well as prominent, wealthy, religious and political figures’.

Have we stooped so low that foreign governments are now teaching us morality and advising on how corruption has devastated our country? The judiciary and the security establishment are the two key pillars of our nation.

The existing political system in this country is a mixture of crime, corruption and money. It is foolish to term this system anything akin to democracy. Terrorism, militancy, extremism and crimes are just symptoms of corruption and flourish when the cancer of corruption is widespread.

Huma

Karachi

Published in Dawn, April 25th, 2016