Who’s perception is this?

This is a map presented by Transparency International  based on according to them the “perception corruption index” The more corrupt countries are in shades of red while the less corrupt ones are in lighter colors of yellow and so on. Although I have no qualms with the International in TIP’s name as most of their funding is from abroad and they are a branch of the parent organization based in Germany, I do not think they are very transparent themselves. Here is why

• What exactly is meant by “perception of corruption”? No one who lives in Pakistan can be delusional enough to  not ascertain that this countries governing institutions are on a downwards spiral in the corruption department but how is the perception of it being given a numerical value? Would someone clue the rest of us in on this magic formula that coverts the thought patterns of a countries population and attaches a number value to them based on a series of random surveys? How and why are we at no 37 or no 34 or whatever?

• Has this Pakistan office of Transparency international published a recent audit of their own financial dealings to the general public? I ask this as according to an investigative report carried out by express tv on Luqman’s show aired on 27th october, TIP has an office with 1-2 attendants and no staff or experts to speak off. This descends further into comedy when the director of TIP Pakistan claims that they “outsource” their surveys to IBA students not trained observers to carry them out. So let me repeat, no data miners, no trained observers just 3 people who use student bodies to carry out surveys.

• Also on the same show another revelation is made which according to the show host is a matter of public record i.e that Asad Gilani the guy heading TIP is a former employee of KPT who was “fired” from his position on “corruption charges”  Im guessing the guy was framed or something by the current government with the help of a time machine right?

The gentle men in question was interviewed as well on the same show and came across as someone who had no specific idea of what he was doing as well as extremely nervous and perhaps unaware of the implications the reports his organization is putting out have on this countries international status. I know we  still have a massive colonial chip on our shoulder  which makes us believe whatever “someone based abroad” is saying has to be the true. Can we though just open our bloody eyes for a second and call a spade a spade? Even if the spade is an unlikely one?

I think we are a corrupt country and that corruption and must be checked or else it will suck away the life from the body that is Pakistan. I also think that perhaps we should think twice before putting so much stock into an organization’s neutrality that they start considering themselves our moral overlords and tarnish our reputation in the world whenever they can based on no credible evidence of their figures or of their modus operandi.

I am an ardent supporter of Musharraf and think his years of governance were the best in this countries history or my history as a Pakistani citizen but today If I consider my life  experiences as a businessman and as a resident here I cannot distinguish how my perception of this countries corruption has changed from that government to this one. In my dealings I have found the same levels for the last 9 years..the rates however do go up according to inflation. Is that what TIP means?

No doubt it is the weakness of our leaders that allow these unchallenged organizations to play with our image abroad, but is the intellectual part of this nation so weak that they cannot stand up and ask a simple question or two as to how the said image was formed?

We cave in whenever we are accused, I think its because of our national insecurity more than facts. We do not have the gumption to stand up and check the accusers own records. Perhaps this is why we are moving so fast up the said “perception list” which if accurate would have put us at no 1 since Pakistan is blamed today for everything under the sun anyways…that is global  reality not someone warped perception based on a survey carried out from god knows what pocket of our population.

P.S Most of the world today considers muslims and Islam as a royal pain up their keester, should we then deem all followers of this religion as a sub human barbarian species? If TIP were to ever come with a “religious perception index” we would