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Quarterly

Newsletter Oct-Dec 2013

Volume XXVIII

Without civic morality communities perish; without personal morality their survival has no value. -- Bertrand Russell

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ALAC Pakistan

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Editor: Ms. Maryam J. Mughal Layout By: Ms. Maryam Khalid

Inside this Issue

TI Pakistan Activities

Oct-Dec 2013

Anti-Fraud Hotline

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For any nation to change and prosper, it is important to educate its masses. Indeed, in the words of Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah, "Education does not merely mean academic education... we have to build up the character of our future generations which means highest sense of honour, integrity, self-service to the nation and sense of responsibility...". Thus, it is heartening to see that that the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK) government has planned to implement uniform syllabi in all the educational institutes. This message was conveyed on 8th September by Chief Minister Pervez Khattak on ‘International Literacy Day’. The step taken by the KPK government is a footstep towards a prosperous and literate society – a dream of every nation and a dire necessity for a nation like Pakistan for its development and success. With Pakistan ranking 113th among 120 countries regarding literacy rate, it is projected to reach 60 percent till 2015 from the existing 55 percent. Education is one of the key priority areas of the government of Pakistan, but to increase the overall literacy rate of the country, with girls having less literacy ratio, it is necessary to change the mindset of the societies especially in this patriarchal society. Girl’s right to education should be set a priority and a continuous struggle should be made for its implementation.

Basic literacy is just the beginning of today's survival in society, what is needed more is to incorporate into Pakistani minds the basic core values of the society. From this basic level of literacy, people can move on and improve their skills in other types of literacy such as academic, non-academic, cultural, and technical literacy. With skills in these other types of literacy people will be able to function easier in society and with this ability society will also function more efficiently and effectively. As Donald Block, author of "Defining Literacy Up", defined literacy by stating that, "it focuses not on recognizing basic words but on comprehension of the world around us".

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AFH SYNOPSIS

This quarter marks the beginning of the fourth year of this project successfully. AFH has continued to provide OIG with information on alleged corruption in various projects across the country. The project has been a viable source that has helped detect corruption in USAID funds in various projects across various sectors. It is due to this innovative project, OIG has successfully recovered USAID funds worth millions. AFH reporting has also resulted in terminations of corrupt employees of various organizations working with USAID. The application of this project has also helped individuals, families and communities in various ways, especially in ensuring that the funds are properly utilized so that the beneficiaries get what the funds are originally designed to deliver. AFH does not only cater to reporting of complaints pertaining to corruption, but also aims to spread awareness regarding the menace of corruption in our society. In this regards various workshops have also been arranged under the project, primarily targeting USAID implementing partners and citizens to educate them about corruption and how to counter it. The project requires utmost care in analyzing the call volume in terms of their geographic location, the type of complaints and issues in order to focus and direct marketing initiatives. AFH management keeps all the information into consideration for example if a few calls or complaints arise from a particular location, then AFH strives to market its presence in that region to generate more leads and complaints. This requires great deal of planning, and assessing the mediums that bear maximum potential in providing maximum penetration, as well as careful review of complaints that are received on regular basis. AFH management has never compromised on the quality of the marketing medium and the selection of vendor. Highest rated TV channels, Radio and newspapers with maximum circulation either in regional languages or national are contracted to market the hotline. Billboards are strategically placed to augment the marketing strategy. In this quarter some new locations were tested for the placement of billboards. AFH continues to provide OIG with insight on the running projects and corruption that is reported from across the country, which leaves OIG with sufficient leads on which they could base their investigation for the recovery of embezzled USAID funds, which in fact is the core objective of the project.

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During the previous quarter AFH team attended trainings on USAID visa compliance and OIG Training on USAID Audits in Islamabad. The executive director of TIP Mr. Saad Rashid and Project Manager Mr. Fawad Gilani attended Winter Conference on International Consortium on Governmental Financial Management between 9th and 11th of December 2013 at the International Monetary Fund, Washington, D.C., USA. The same team of senior management also attended Transparency Internationals Annual Members meeting in Berlin, Germany.

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H O T L I N E

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Pole Sign at CBM entrance gate Karachi Torkham

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Mall road Bus stop Near Lahore Punjab Assembly Islamabad Bus stop at F-6

Main Bazar Guduu Barrage

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In this quarter, the ALAC carried out several outreach activities in order to commemorate International Anti-Corruption Day. We worked with eight grass-root organizations and organized eight seminars and five walks all over the provinces of Punjab and Balochistan.

In this, the third year of AusAid’s second quarter, 245 new clients and complaints were recorded in our database. Out of the complaints registered, 76 of them have been turned into cases. In these instances, ALAC has given legal advice to clients or written to the concerned authorities to resolve these matters. Out of these, we had 35 successful/partially successful cases.

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Workshops

In this quarter, ALAC organized special programs on International Anti-Corruption Day - 9th December. A total of eight events were held including walks and seminars in which people of different walks of life interacted with government officials and social activists. The main objective was to create awareness among citizens and spread TI Pakistan’s anti-corruption message.

In collaboration with Al-Falah Society Joharabad (Khushab district, Punjab), a seminar followed by a walk was organized in which a large number of people including traders, lawyers, journalists, district administration, civil societies and students of schools and colleges participated. The General Secretary of Alfalah Society Mr. Abdul Hassan Hamdani welcomed the participants. The chief guest was Professor Khalid Jeelani Tawana who is the professor of a post graduate college in Khushab. He highlighted the menace of corruption and its adverse effect to the society. Other guests including Chairman District Zakat Committee Advocate Mehmood Arshad and Educationalist Malik Sajid Awan also spoke on the topic and encouraged people to come forward and work collectively with TI Pakistan. The event was covered in local press and media.

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A seminar followed by a walk was organized in the Gujrat district in collaboration with the Huqooq-ul-Ebad Development Foundation. Mr. Syed Sajjad Zaidi, Circle Officer, Anti–Corruption Establishment, District Gujrat, in his address mentioned that the people of Gujrat are facing different kinds of corruption every day but they do not know how to process their complaints. He hoped that after this seminar and walk, people would be aware of the Anti-Corruption Establishment as well as Transparency International-Pakistan. It helped them to report their complaints to redress their grievances and get free legal advice.

Syed Muhammad Ashfaq, President/CEO, Huqooq-ul-Ebad Development Foundation Gujrat, gave a brief introduction of “Transparency International Pakistan” and overview of the background of corruption in Pakistan. He also highlighted the objectives of the Seminar and Walk to general public. Mr. Asif Bilal Lodhi who is the District Coordination Officer (DCO), Gujrat, appreciated the mission of Transparency International Pakistan and Huqooq-ul-Ebad Development Foundation Gujrat (NGO) to organize such Seminar and Walk in District Gujrat. He expressed that these sessions help to raise awareness especially to the marginalized people of District Gujrat. He stressed that access to justice and the rule of law are undetermined by corruption. According to the DCO, the basic causes of corruption were inept and corrupt leadership, weakening of state institutions (i.e. legislature, executive, judiciary and bureaucracy), political instability, political interference and abuse of power, weak and inefficient governments, lack of transparency and a disregard for the rule of law. The DCO stressed his subordinate officers to facilitate people to access to information.

In the Balochistan province, to mark the International Anti-Corruption Day 2013, Kuchlak Welfare Society (KWS) in collaboration with Transparency International Pakistan organized a Walk in Kuchlak on 9th December 2013 with Malik Abdul Rashid Kakar (Chairman-KWS), Usman Ali Shamim (Programme Officer-KWS), and Abdul Hakeem (District President-PPP). People from different lifestyles including students, teachers, community leaders and the youth participated enthusiastically in the Walk. Speakers upheld that corruption and bribery is common in our society and it is the moral duty of every individual to stage a protest against it.

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In collaboration with Sudhar Development Organization, Burewala, TI Pakistan organized a walk in District Vehari participated by almost one hundred people who covered a distance of 1.5km. Participants held banners and placards in their hands with slogans related to corruption displaying their hopes to fight against it. Later on, a seminar was also organized in the Government Girls Higher Secondary School in which 200 participants gathered. The speakers including Mr. Muhammad Safdar (DO Colleges Ex Vehari), Mr. Muhammad Yaqoob (Principal Govt Degree College Vehari), Ms. Sadaf Nazir (Principal Govt. Girls Higher Secondery School Vehari), Ms. Fakhra Rana (Education Department), Ms. Samina, (an Industrialist of Vehari) and Ms. Saima Batool (President Sudhar Development Organization) addressed the gathering and highlighted the problems faced due to corruption in society. The speakers appreciated the role of TI Pakistan and Sudhar Development Organization in carrying out the task of raising awareness against corruption. The also stressed the need for organizing such sessions on a continuous basis so that citizen victimized by corruption can be united. After the address of guests, a question answer session was also conducted.

A Walk was held in District Nankana Sahib by Transparency International Pakistan in collaboration with Mass Community Health and Care Welfare Society on 9th December 2013. Social Worker Ms. Suraya Khatoon Kharal, Chairman DCC Dr. Abid Ali and Shakeel Abbas from Awaz Foundation addressed the gathering. Social Worker Zafar Abbas Kharal also spoke with the people and emphasized the need of arranging such gathering helpful in building opinion making.

A seminar followed by a walk was arranged in District Toba Tek Singh by Transparency International Pakistan in collaboration with Social Welfare Society. Dr. Farah Iqbal, DCO Toba Tek Singh; Rai Wajid Ali, Depty Director Anti-Corruption; Chaudry Amjad Ali, Member Provincial Assembly; Dr. Arif Saleem, Regional Director Allama Iqbal Open Univeristy; Khalid Bashir, DO Social Welfare and Mr. Nasir Saleemi President Social

Welfare Society addressed the gathering and highlighted the importance of anti-corruption activities. They pointed out the damages that were being faced by society and the common man due to corruption. Later on, a walk was also held in which participants holding placards with slogans on them against corruption and corrupt practices.

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TI Pakistan Chairman, Sohail Muzaffar, Executive Director Saad Rashid and Project Manager Sayed Fawad attended the Regional Governance Meeting and Annual Members Meeting in Berlin, Germany from November 7 to 10, 2013.

TI Pakistan ED Saad Rashid and PM Sayed Fawad had a number of meetings with officials of USAID and OIG in Washington DC from 4 to 6 December, 2013.

Saad Rashid, ED and Sayed Fawad, PM met with US Ambassador Robin Raphael at the US State Department in Washington DC to discuss the Anti-Fraud Hotline Project on December 6 2013.

Saad Rashid, ED and Sayed Fawad PM met with officials of the US Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. To make a presentation on the AFH Project on December 9, 2013.

Saad Rashid, ED and Sayed Fawad, PM participated in the conference of International Consortium of Government Financial Managers organized by the IMF in Washington DC. Along with Daniel Altman of OIG/USID they presented a paper on the AFH Project from December 9 to 11, 2013

Sayed Adil Gilani presented a paper at the seminar organized by NAB and UNODC on the UN Anti-Corruption Day in Islamabad on December 9, 2013.

TI Pakistan organized seminars and walk a causes around the country on the occasion of UN Anti-Corruption Day on December 9, 2013. 1. Patient Welfare Society Bakhar, Punjab Seminar & Walk, 100 to 120 participants. 2. Huqooq-ul-Ebad Dev Foundation Gujrat, Punjab. Seminar & Walk with 100 to 120 participants. 3. Sudhar Development Organization (SDO) Vehari, Punjab. Seminar & Walk with 130 to 150 participants. 4. Kuchlak Welfare Society Quetta, Balochistan. Walk with 60 to 80 participants. 5. Mass Community Help & Care Welfare Society, Nankana, Punjab. Walk with 60 to 80 participants. 6. Alfalah Society Khushab, Punjab. Seminar & Walk with 80 to 100 participants. 7. Social Welfare Society Toba Tek Singh, Punjab Seminar & Walk with 130 to 150 participants.

TI Pakistan‘s meeting with World Bank governance forum on Freedom of Information ordinance, Sindh & PPRA Rules Sindh on December 21, 2013.

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Transparency International Pakistan

Transparency International Pakistan Activities October ~ December 2013

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