Due to the absence of political will and administrative accountability, corruption in Afghanistan is gaining irreversible prominence and cultural orientation. Everything goes on in a haphazard way ruling out the chances of slender betterment to be expected imminently. Does it make a difference for our political elites that our beloved motherland is ranked amongst the world's most corrupt countries in the former survey released by Transparency International (TI)? For how long will the masses keep on expecting the politicians to abandon their deeds and come forth for genuine reforms? There are multiple questions that still wait to have comprehensive response.

Corruption has become synonymous with our existing system and is pushing our nation to a dead end. It has gained roots in our country because of wrong decisions and weak policies of the governments. The international community and credible Afghan public office bearers have long been criticizing the government of Afghanistan for growing corruption in the government institutions, and lack of strict measures and policies to fight graft in the country.

The dismal state of affairs depicts that the extent of corruption is inversely growing with the immediate justice, accountability and indiscriminate application of law. As long as injustice and poverty prevail one cannot hope to eradicate corruption. A country based on the rule of law and equality caters for the genuine needs and wants of its members and is deficient of such problems. But a country like Afghanistan where the rule of law is absent, the vacuum is filled by the rule of annoyance and misappropriation. Undoubtedly, corruption has threatened efforts of enforcing laws in a society and strengthened cruel segments and suppressed the poor.

Corruption attacks the very foundation of democratic institutions by distorting electoral processes, perverting the rule of law and creating bureaucratic quandary. Economic development is stunted because foreign direct investment is discouraged and small businesses within the country often find it impossible to overcome the start-up costs, required because of corruption.

Regretfully the respective departments of oversight and anti-corruption of Afghanistan is weak enough to collect evidences against the corrupt officials and can’t undertake the prosecution of those accused of such ill-deeds given that the office of Oversight and Anti-corruption lacks the legitimate authority to act independently against the corrupt individuals and officials.

The prevalent disease of corruption needs to be curtailed and prevented iron-handedly before it turns epidemic. Seemingly, till date no major steps have been taken by the Afghan government to fight corruption, despite numerous reports suggesting that high level government officials of Afghanistan are involved in corruption cases. The government must revisit its policies and bring vibrant reforms.