‘Corruption huge hurdle for nation’

President urges all segments of society to put an end to corruption

Pakistan President Dr Arif Alvi said corruption hurts the economy as well as business, adding that such economies remain stymied and unable to function properly, because of graft that prevents the free functioning of market dynamics.

“Although it has widespread implications on our lives, the economy bears the main brunt and in turn sabotages the prosperity of the nation,” Dr Alvi said in a message on International Anti-Corruption Day, marked on December 9 since the ratification of the United Nations Convention against corruption on October 31, 2003, to raise public awareness against financial crimes.

The president noted that corruption in a nation’s political and economic operations caused its entire society to suffer.

“Each year, billions of rupees of the public money are lost because of corruption in the form of embezzlements, bribes and misappropriation of funds, which directly affect the ability of the government to provide even proper basic services to the public and denies them their fundamental rights,” he added, noting that the sheer scale of the challenge called for combined efforts to confront it.

“The government is committed to eradicating this cancer. The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) alone cannot win this fight,” he added.

The president urged all segments of society to stand together in contributing to efforts in putting an end to corruption. He said corruption was one of the world’s greatest challenges and a major hindrance against development and prosperity, and corrosive for the very fabric of society and economic prosperity.