Army’s self-accountability rekindles hope of action against other accused

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Army’s drive of self-accountability initiated through actions against two generals implicated in the NLC scam earned well-deserved applause as it has also rekindled the hope that Khakis accused in other cases will also be held accountable.
The corruption cases brought to the public attention in the past failed to make any headway under the watch of the-then army chief Gen Ashfaq Parvez Kayani. Now, they merit the attention of Gen Raheel Sharif who is known for leading by example, a trait that has won him an unprecedented admiration.
Like the NLC scam, the cases under question also date back to the Musharraf era. Included among them is a mid-ranking officer who has been declared a proclaimed offender by a civil court in a land fraud case. Nevertheless, he is in service, to the surprise of many.
Two contractors registered with the Log Directorate and politically affiliated with the ANP are also involved in this fraud. Their registration has not been cancelled, notwithstanding the fact that the matter was brought to the attention of the GHQ.
Another case is related to the unauthorised allotment to civilians. including the frontmen of noted politicians, land allocated for the army martyrs and veterans. As many as 10,000 kanals were distributed through this allotment spree. Neither has the land been vacated from the illegal beneficiaries nor has any action taken been against those who issued the allotment letters.
In the first case, a serving Major Zubair Ali Khan (PA38111 of 63 FF Regiment) is accused in a land fraud of Rs24 million in 2005 along with two contractors registered with the Log Directorate, Haji Saeed Fareen and Saeed-ur-Rehman. Before it turned out to be a fraud, Zubair who acted as a guarantor, had received his commission.
The victim of this fraud, Yawar Saeed, had approached the GHQ in July 2006, presented documentary evidence of Zubair’s involvement but failed to get justice.He subsequently registered an FIR against the officer and the army contractors. Zubair, then captain, instead of facing internal action, received promotion to the next rank as the FIR already registered against him and the court had yet to determine his innocence. In 2009, the Islamabad Police’s repeated letters demanded his custody for investigation in the case and production before court but received no positive reply.
The accused officer, in the meanwhile, was sent on foreign posting and the police were promised that he would be handed over upon return to Pakistan. It was not done. Meanwhile, Islamabad’s civil court declared him a proclaimed offender as he didn’t appear despite repeated summons.
While he is still in service without clearing his name from the fraud allegations, Yawar runs from pillar to the post in search of justice. A couple of applications sent to the-then army chief Gen Kayani didn’t receive any reply either.
Yawar, who once was living in Islamabad’s posh area, is now settled in a one-room apartment due to financial crisis. His elder son had to quit the flying academy where he was being trained as a commercial pilot. He now works as a trainer in a gym to support himself.
Yawar had to recall his daughter from the UK where she went for studies. Now, she is working as a subordinate staff in a private firm. His younger son works at a call center in the night shift to finance his study in day-time.
Yawar has lost hope in the state and the system that renders the weak vulnerable in the face of excesses committed by the high and mighty. “That I am unable to bring the accused to justice despite having documented evidence is not less than travesty of justice,” he said, appealing to the army chief to help him in getting back the defrauded money.
The second case is related to the unauthorised allotment of the army lands to civilians. Former dictator General (retd) Pervez Musharraf had doled out the land meant for war veterans and families of martyred soldiers to frontmen of some of his political opponents, non-entitled armymen and dozens of civilian officials including his cook, barber, butler, gunmen and other members of his personal staff.
Over 10,000 kanals of military land in the Punjab and KP provinces was allotted to non-entitled civilians and soldiers by the GHQ following orders from the then army chief General Pervez Musharraf. Over two dozen of his staff members and officials attached with Musharraf during his stay in the Presidency were also allotted hundreds of kanals of military land.
In case of the allotment of 6,700 kanals of military land in the Punjab to 47 civilian officials of the provincial government during Musharraf’s rule, a reference was made to the military authorities by the Shahbaz Sharif government to cancel the anomalous transfer. However, no decision has been taken on the issue yet.
With regard to the land given to non-military personnel including frontmen of some politicians in Dera Ismail Khan during the Musharraf regime, it was admitted by the military spokesman during General Kayani’s tenure that the allotments had no legal sanction. But despite this flagrant illegality committed by the military dictator and former president, corrective measures have not been taken.