KARACHI - Aafia Movement Pakistan leader Dr Fowzia Siddiqui has said that without purging system of corruption the dream of sustainable progress and prosperity cannot come true.
In a statement issued here on Saturday in connection with the international anti-corruption week, she said that the misuse of authority for personal gains was a curse. She regretted that monetary and moral corruption had increased to such an extent that even mothers and daughters were sold for dollars.
She further said that Aafia Siddiqui was the victim of both corruption and misuse of powers. “Only those nations, which do not sell their souls, progress,” she commented.
Dr Fowzia said rampant corruption in Pakistani society had not only affected education, healthcare, justice and law and order situation, but had also damaged democracy.
She stressed the need for getting rid of corrupt politicians and corrupt bureaucrats to give a corruption-free future to the coming generations. “Without fighting against corruption, we cannot meet our goals of progress and development,” she pointed out. Dr Fowzia said many years back the volunteers of Aafia Movement had raised the slogan of “We need Aafia, not dollars” to expose the corrupt system. She reiterated that Aafia was innocent, but due to political and moral corruption she had already completed 5,370 days in illegal detention. She was of the view that safeguarding the basic rights of citizens was the responsibility of the government, adding sadly the Pakistani rulers had kept Aafia deprived of her basic rights.