Transparency International Pakistan (TI-Pakistan) will make a detailed presentation on the state of corruption in Pakistan before the four-minister committee headed by Law Minister set up by the Prime Minister to take TI Pakistan's feed back on the issue in Islamabad on December 19.
TI Pakistan advisor, Syed Adil Gilani told Business Recorder here on Monday that besides explaining the method adopted in preparing Corruption Perception Index (CPI) by Transparency International using 14 international surveys, measures to curb the menace would also be suggested.
It may be recalled that a committee, led by the then Finance Minister Shaukat Tarin, was formed in November 2009, to review all the governance issues and was asked to submit its report in four weeks. The report was prepared but it could not see light of the day. On its part, however, TI-Pakistan, without loss of time made following recommendations to achieve good governance:
Once a civil servant retires, there shall be no extension in service, no armed forces retired personnel, and technocrats be inducted in the civil services, Dr Ishrat Hussain Committee on Pay and Reforms of Civil Servants shall be included in these recommendations, and review of all appointments/ promotions of BPS 20 and above, and armed forces personnel shall revert to their parent service (as already ordered by CJP and CoAS for their respective organisations) and, termination of services of all retired re-hired personals.
All Regulatory Authorities viz. SECP, CCP, PPRA, EPA, SBP, OGRA, PEMRA, PTA, PFRA, NEPRA etc, etc shall be fully autonomous, comprising of professionals, without any nominations from the government. They shall be financially self generating entities, not dependent on government finances, and answerable only to Public Account Committee.
Further motorway police/highway police models under use in Punjab, shall also be implemented within one year in all major cities of Sindh, NWFP and Balochistan provinces. All promotions above BPS 20 shall be processed by the Public Service Commission, and all urban land shall be disposed off only by auction, and not allotted in any case.
TI-Pakistan's anti corruption suggestions included: Setting up of independent accountability Commission to report to PAC of the parliament, to include Civil Services, Armed Forces, Judicial Services and Elected Representatives, Conflict of Interest provisions shall be included in all public offices, as well as corporations and authorities, including Board of Directors of PSEs, draft FOI bill shall be passed by parliament, and all the decisions allowed under FOA Act are to be posted on the Website of Government Departments, and all land records in the four provinces shall be computerised within one year.
In June this year, TI-Pakistan had recommended to all political parties 14 anti-corruption measures for inclusion in their manifestos, as follows, but it turned out to be an exercise in futility as none of the parties showed any interest in the recommendations:
1. All appointments/promotions of civil servants and head of public bodies will be merit based on pre-determined selection criteria.
2. Within six months of the new government, an independent National Accountability Commission will be set up or National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Ordinance will be amended to be under the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), to deal with public office holders viz. civilians, armed forces, judiciary and private sector involved in corruption in government funds.
3. Following appointments shall be made in consensus with opposition leader of national/provincial assemblies.
4. Auditor-General Pakistan, Chairman NAB/ DGs Provinces, DG FIA, all Ombudsmen, Chairman FBR, Attorney-General/Advocate-General, and Chairman of the Federal Public Service Commission.
5. All regulatory authorities viz. SECP, CCP, PPRA, EPA, SBP, Ogra, Pemra, PTA, PFRA, Nepra etc, shall be fully autonomous, comprising of professionals, without any nominations from government. They shall be financially self generating entities, and not dependent on government finances, and answerable only to Public Accounts Committee.
6. Within six months of the new government, Freedom of Information Ordinance 2002 will be revised for deletion of all exemptions except for national security reasons and all information under Freedom of Information Ordinance 2002 shall be made available on web sites of all ministries /departments/organisations to comply with Constitution Article 19 A.
7. Only a taxpayer should be allowed to buy a property and cars.
8. When government is formed, foreign states will be sent official letters to return Pakistan's money in their banks which is not tax paid. The government, under Article 25(1) of the Avoidance of Double Taxation Treaty with Switzerland, and Return of Illicit Assets Act or RIAA, will seek information regarding Pakistanis maintaining accounts in the Alpine state as has been done by many countries.
8. Motorway police/Highway police models under use in Punjab shall also be implemented within one year in all major cities of all provinces in Pakistan.
9. Party will suspend its member from the public post, in case he is faced with court case on corruption charges, and will only be restored once he is acquitted from the court.
10. Land records of provinces, Federal Territory and Azad Kashmir will be computerised within one year.
11. Conflict of Interest provisions shall be mandatory in all public office holders' job description, as well as corporations and authorities, including Board of Directors of public sector enterprises.
12. Control of Ministry of Ministry of Information over government advertisements will be deregulated. Each public sector institution will manage its own advertisements and media policy, and no government sponsored advertisement will have photograph of any political person other than that of the Quaid-i-Azam.
13. All state-owned urban land will only be disposed off by open public auction.
14. For preventing conflicts of interest, all officers of Civilian, Armed Forces and Judiciary, of above BPS 20 or equivalent, shall not for a period of 5 years from the date from which they retire and cease to hold office, will accept any employment or consultancy of any private sector undertaking.
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