Corruption in Pakistan
History Pakistan was created as a result of the partition of subcontinent and the British left behind a strong bureaucracy and army. The country was divided again when Eastern Pakistan seceded to form Bangladesh. A factor in this division was that Bengal's elite and ruling class had been Hindus who were displaced by the partition, while the Punjab's rich land-owning class were Muslims and so had retained power.[9] [edit] Recent events According to calculations performed by Transparency International, Pakistan has lost an unbelievably high amount, more than Rs8.5 trillion (US $94 billion), in corruption, tax evasion and bad governance during the last four years of Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gillani’s tenure.[10] An adviser of Transparency International acknowledged that "Pakistan does not need even a single penny from the outside world if it effectively checks the menace of corruption and ensures good governance".[10] The Transparency International also noted that the four years of the present regime under Gilani had been the worst in terms of corruption and bad governance in the country’s history.[10] Recently NAB chairman, a very respected and fair individual, declared that corruption to the tune of 40 billion US dollars was being done annually in the country.[11] [edit] National Accountability Ordinance Individuals convicted under the National Accountability Ordinance are prohibited from holding political office for ten years.[12] [edit] Media role in exposing corruption Since the liberalization of the Pakistani media in 2002, many major corruption cases and scams have been unveiled by journalists. Notable among them are: The ex president and registrar of the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council were involved in fake registration of doctors. [13] The Pakistan Steel Mills Rs.26 billion scam;[14] National Insurance Company Limited scandal;[15] Bribery and corruption in Pakistan International Airlines which caused losses of $500