The recent disclosure that Pakistan has been placed at number 42 in the 150 most corrupt countries should be an eye-opener for all. The figure being mentioned about the misappropriated amount in the economy, Rs. 500 billion or US$ 6 billion per annum, is a bit too much. It appears the Land of the Pure got sullied completely by corruption once the NRO Ordinance was promulgated. Now that it expires on 28-11-2009, all the cronies of the President are liable to come under the knife, so to say, on Eid-ul-Azha--an ill-fated coincidence. It would be advisable for the affectees to resign from their jobs to escape public denunciation and humiliation. They should be ready to face the music before the independent judiciary and pay for their crimes. Sometimes it is better to open a case of worms to discard the spoiled material and pack fresh unspoiled substance instead for healthy results. -DR. M. YAQOOB BHATTI, Lahore, November 21.