Pakistan, Jan. 24 -- Corruption in Pakistan is not hidden anymore. It is not whispered. It is not even denied with conviction. It is discussed openly at dinner tables, in drawing rooms, in offices, on television panels, and across social media. Everyone knows who does it, how it is done, and at what level it is done. That includes the public, the media, the bureaucracy, and most importantly, the political leadership. The only group that pretends otherwise is the system itself.

Every government does it. Without exception. Ministers, cabinet members, senior bureaucrats, heads of departments, regulators, and state institutions all take part in variations of the same behaviour. Files move faster for some. Decisions are softened for others. D...