by Raheela Nazir

ISLAMABAD, Dec. 10 (Xinhua) -- Inspired by China's way of tackling corruption, Pakistani experts said on Monday that their country should take a leaf out of China's book and adopt comprehensive anti-corruption discourses and strategies to win the fight against corruption.

"The Chinese anti-corruption model is ideal for adoption if there is a will to take the bull of corruption by its horns," Sultan Mehmood Hali, a political and strategic analyst, told Xinhua, adding that by following the Chinese model, the Pakistani government can carry out anti-corruption and even investigate politicians and government officials.

Hali said China has tackled the scourge of corruption in an effective manner by adopting strict punitive measures against the culprits.

"The punishments have been harsh and in consonance with the level of the crime, and were across the board, irrespective of the status of the offender," the expert said.

Governors, senior bureaucrats and even high-ranking military officials have been dealt with iron hands if found guilty in China, Hali added.

Hali said even the Pakistani army has dealt with corruption very severely by awarding life imprisonment and death penalties to senior military officials in recent times. "The same must be adopted for dealing with civilians if this problem is to be weeded out," the former Pakistani Air Force officer stressed.

In a conversation with Xinhua, Humayun Iqbal Shami, chairman of the Islamabad-based think tank Pakistan Economic Forum, said corruption has detrimental effects on economic well-being of the people, and is responsible for causing unrest and disappointment among masses.

Prosecuting white-collar crimes is often a difficult and challenging task as perpetrators use sophisticated methods to hide their ill-gotten money by making a series of complex transactions, Shami said, adding that "The Pakistani government needs to enhance the capacity building of federal institutions fighting against corruption like China."

"The government should seek China's help to train the country's federal and provincial bureaucracy, and introduce them with advanced technological skills to thwart corruption attempts," he added.

Pakistan on Monday observed the International Anti-Corruption Day under the theme of "Together, We Are United Against Corruption."

Several organizations working for the elimination of corruption in Pakistan marked the day with special programs, seminars and walks with an aim towards raising awareness against financial crimes and their harmful impacts on societies.

In his message on the occasion, Pakistani President Arif Alvi said corruption has now been taken as one of the world's greatest challenges, and it is a major hindrance against development and prosperity, adding that corruption in Pakistan hurts the economy as well as business.

"The National Accountability Bureau being the apex anti-corruption agency of Pakistan has been mandated to keep this menace in check as well as to create awareness among the public at large about corruption," the president said.

Meanwhile in an effort to curb corruption, Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan has also launched a "Report Corruption" mobile application on the occasion of the International Anti-Corruption Day.

The mobile application can be used to report corruption cases falling in jurisdiction of the country's eastern Punjab province, with facility of uploading complaints, evidence in the form of video, images or documents with an option of anonymity.

Experts in Pakistan believe that corruption is one of the most chronic issues in the country. Pakistan is suffering billions of rupees worth of losses each year in the form of embezzlement, bribes and misappropriation of funds, ultimately affecting the economic growth and prosperity, according to experts. Enditem

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