Last week, in a forum held due to international Anti-Corruption Day in Kabul, President Karzai once again pointed finger towards foreign countries as key factors behind widespread corruption. He expressed that main factor behind corruption was contracts of international institutions with private companies without putting his government in the picture.
"Dear sisters and brothers; do not blame yourselves for widespread corruption. It is imposed on us aimed to weaken our system and administration", he addressed public employees. However, he confessed the existence of corruption within his government, saying it was a harsh reality, but it was, what he branded "small corruption" like bribery within his government. "Corruptions in which millions of dollars are involved do not belong to us. They lie somewhere else. I hope with withdrawal of foreign allies, the root causes of corruption fade away".
No doubt, it is not the first time that he points finger towards foreign countries. His relation often has become controversial over several issues. While foreign countries more the ever ratchets up the tight of pressure and ask for transparency and serious fighting corruption, he alleges that their presence not only fuels but is the main reason behind it.
After 2014, many countries have conditioned their financial support to elimination of corruption. It means that if the current situation continues on the same path, the government should expect support as it has promised. Certainly, this tit-for-tat game would not solve the problem nor optimism does.
It has been decades that out politicians, decision makers and even common people always knitted a promising change to certain major events. It was hoped when USSR withdrew and handed over the power to Afghan government, the situation would get better. As witnessed, we were wrong.
We hoped or we were made to hope after outstation of Dr. Najib government, our dream may come true, but ultimately we saw not only improvement but devastating civil war that left hundreds of thousands of people dead and millions refugee.
Hope we understand that this time building dream on the line of stay or withdrawal of foreign security forces means repeat of the same historical mistake. It is not clear whether current administration by putting such a theory wants to justify the widespread corruption within the government or it unintentionally commits the same mistake of common people. On either case, people will be the loser.
If government ever tries to fight corruption, he should do right now because tomorrow is late. If we consider him right for blaming foreign allies, meanwhile those who benefitted most are not other than government officials. So, there must be something wrong with the claims that are made.