(Karachi) Prime Minister Imran Khan has said that country’s progress is linked with eradicating corruption from the society. He added the nation should unite against the corrupt elements.
Addressing the participants at the launch of ‘Report Corruption Mobile App’ on International Anti-Corruption Day in Islamabad on Monday, he said that the initiative of the Anti-Corruption Establishment is appreciable and the officials should apprise the people regarding the new application.
Referring to the example of China, Imran Khan said hundreds of people have been sent to jails on corruption charges in order to eradicate the menace from their country. He said in Lebanon, Chile, Iraq and other countries people took to streets against the corruption of their rulers. He said, "Nowadays it is not easy to hide corruption."
The PM said that China is heading towards prosperity as it held those accountable who were involved in corruption.
He added, “This is the reason why the president of China is popular among people.”
Imran Khan said corrupt countries are poor and transparent nations are rich. He referred to the example of Congo, Nigeria and other African countries which are rich in natural resources but their people are facing extreme level of poverty due to rampant corruption in their societies. Switzerland, on the other hand, lacks natural resources but is very prosperous and rich, he said.
He maintained that people took to streets over corruption in Iraq, Iran, Turkey and other states.
He said that people have acknowledged that a country where corruption is rampant cannot develop and prosper.
He said, “A country cannot prosper where the rulers are involved in corrupt practices.”
He highlighted that mega projects were initiated in the past to commit corruption on massive scale. Imran remarked, “A corrupt person is an enemy of the nation.”
He said the country will turn into ‘Naya Pakistan’ when the youth will go against those involved in corruption.
The prime minister regretted that people are unaware about the vital link between corruption and their miseries.
He said when corruption in any society increases, the money that was to be spent on health, education and other necessities of people transfers to the pockets of corrupt people.
Terming overseas Pakistanis as precious asset of Pakistan, he said they can invest heavily in the country if they are sure of no corruption.
Speaking on the occasion, Chief Minister Punjab Usman Buzdar said government is committed to eradicate menace of corruption from the province.
He said launch of this new app is beginning of a new era. He said this application will enable the complainant to view the progress on his complain.
He said Anti-Corruption Establishment of Punjab has land worth of 132 billion rupees and about 4.75 billion rupees were deposited in national exchequer.