'If head of state is corrupt, it affects entire system,' says PM Imran Khan

 

• Prime Minister Imran Khan says the NHA's e-government initiative to curb corruption
• He says that he will ask other ministries to switch to e-governance.
• Premier says the newspaper revealed that a politician transferred $ 1 billion from KSA to the UK.

Prime Minister Imran Khan said Wednesday that when the head of state is involved in corruption, the entire machinery of the country that works under him is affected.

The prime minister spoke at the inauguration ceremony of the National Highway Authority's e-tendering, e-billing, and GIS mapping system.

The prime minister, speaking about the NHA initiative, said that corruption in bidding and tenders would decrease through the institutions' new measures.

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"We will ask other ministries to also shift towards e-governance," he said.

These modern systems were implemented 20 years ago, the prime minister said, adding: "People who take advantage of an outdated system do not want it to improve."

He stressed that through automation, the world was able to reduce corruption. "Unfortunately, we have accepted this damaged system."

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"Only an honest and self-sufficient nation deserves respect," the prime minister said.

He lamented that when the head of state is dishonest, he affects the entire system. "Not acknowledging corruption is worse than being corrupt."

The prime minister, refraining from naming anyone, said that a Pakistani politician had transferred a billion dollars from Saudi Arabia to London.

Read more: Pakistan pays 4.59 billion rupees to a British company for a lost cause

"The country survives on loans, while people have acquired assets in foreign countries."

Comparing the lifestyles of Pakistani leaders and the leaders of other countries, he said: "Looking at the lifestyle of our leaders, it seems that poverty does not exist in our country."