PEOPLE of Sindh would surely welcome the announcement of Caretaker Chief Minister Justice (Retd) Maqbool Baqar to launch a decisive campaign against corruption in all provincial government departments, starting from Sindh Building Control Authority (SBCA) and Karachi Water and Sanitation Board (KWSB). He called on local government officials to activate various departments and root out the menace of corruption, moving towards the goal of good governance.
Corruption prevails all over the country, especially in public dealing organizations, but it has assumed worrisome dimensions in Sindh and Balochistan, therefore, the commitment of the CM to show zero tolerance against corrupt practices augurs well for the ordinary people. The announcement of the Chief Minister as the Supreme Court (on Friday) ordered action against those responsible for illegal recruitment in Sindh Education Department and sought a report on the matter within ten days. Corruption is also rampant in the Education Department of Punjab where clerk mafia fleeces teachers on different pretexts but one must appreciate that at least teaching staff was hired purely on merit in a highly transparent manner. Sindh should have learnt from Punjab by replicating the model in the province as the issue has direct relevance with quality and standard of education. The CM has done well by initiating the anti-corruption drive from two public dealing organizations as his observations were quite pertinent that no building plans are approved without palm-greasing. This is not specific to Sindh Building Control as relevant officials of almost all civic bodies in all parts of the country received heft grafts in exchange for approval of building plans. Similarly, no application for electricity or gas connections is processed without under the table deals. We hope the Sindh CM would set an example by eliminating corruption in public dealing institutions and other provinces would follow suit.
