Strengthening our regulatory institutions is a must to end corruption and improve good governance in our society, emphasized Pasban Democratic Party (PDP) Chairman Altaf Shakoor here Sunday.

Highlighting the importance of robust regulatory bodies, Shakoor noted that enhanced resources and capabilities allow for more effective detection, prevention, and punishment of corrupt practices. He pointed out that stronger institutions can conduct regular audits and inspections, reducing opportunities for corruption through real-time tracking.

Empowered regulators, he added, can impose harsher penalties on corrupt individuals and organizations, thereby deterring wrongdoing. Transparent procedures, PDP chief argued, help minimize exploitation for bribes or favoritism, while automation in processes such as e-governance decreases human interference. Shakoor stressed that strong regulators provide safe channels for whistleblowing, thereby increasing public trust and encouraging exposure of wrongdoing.

He advocated for mandatory disclosures like asset declarations to ensure traceability of transactions and called for depoliticizing probe bodies to enable impartial investigations. Citing successful international examples, Shakoor referenced Singapore’s Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau and Estonia’s Digital Governance as models to emulate.

The PDP chairman urged the elimination of political interference in regulatory bodies, emphasizing the necessity of adequate funding and training for effectiveness. He demanded legal and institutional reforms to enhance their independence and called for the adoption of modern technologies like AI and blockchain for audits.

Shakoor appealed to both ruling and opposition political parties to support these initiatives for better governance in society.