 |
| |
WEEKLY
SECTIONS |
 |
|
 |
| Ghosts that won't go away |
|
|
|
Sunday, November 15, 2009
This is in connection with Ayaz Amir's article titled "Ghosts that won't go away" published in your newspaper on November 13. The Agosta scandal continues to haunt the present occupant of the presidency, not because corruption is considered an evil practice within our establishment, but because of the tragic death of 11 French engineers. Cotecna and the Swiss Bank accounts are a stark reality that is hard to term political victimisation. Corruption is an accepted privilege of the elitist club of our political parties and khaki and civil bureaucracy. Culture of kickbacks prevails almost everywhere, but rarely has it been accepted, nor done so openly, as is the practice in countries like Nigeria, Pakistan, Sierra Leone, Afghanistan or Chad.
The scandalous charges of misappropriation of 300 acres of real estate in Islamabad, allotment of over 425 plots to the already dirty-rich members of our bureaucracy and pilferages in state organisations etc. have damaged the already dented credibility of Pakistan for any further foreign investments, especially in the background of the bleak state of lawlessness. As long as corruption is not curtailed and exemplary punishment given to those at the top of our civil, military and political elite, Pakistan's national security and sovereignty is at stake. The shameless manner in which one or two prominent journalists, members of civil society and prominent citizens dismiss them as irrelevant, reveals the extent to which moral and ethical degeneration has taken over in the so-called elite section of our society.
The people of Pakistan have been too often robbed publicly, in full knowledge of the state, by such daylight robberies like the co-operatives, Roberts Farm, Bank of Punjab heist, real estate rip-offs, sugar and cement cartels, wilful bank loan defaults, tax evasion, illegal qabza of property in Karachi etc. that their patience has run out and desperation taken over. The lack of accountability has only encouraged these robber barons and credibility of the state and the judiciary seriously eroded. What is need is prompt severe accountability irrespective of political loyalties or affiliations with civil or khaki bureaucracy, otherwise the state of Pakistan faces a severe threat of dismemberment from within. There is a long list of Pakistani members of our civil, political and uniformed services, who live off the loot and plunder, safe without any fear, in their posh houses, villas and apartments in Europe, Canada and the US, while those still in service look up to join them in their post-retirement life, having already acquired foreign nationalities in violation of rules. We face the threat of terrorism, because illegal handouts facilitate these terrorists, with their supply of ammunition, funds and state identification papers like NIC and passports etc. As long as the top echelons of our establishment are involved in the level of corruption that prevails there, the state of Pakistan and its unfortunate citizens will continue to suffer because of the insatiable greed of the few.
Gull Zaman
Paris, France
*****
In his column of November 13 titled "Ghosts that won't go away", Ayaz Amir says, and I quote him verbatim, "I got a call from Geneva from a Mr Schlegelmilch who wanted to be put through to Mr Zardari. I pretended to be someone associated to Mr Zardari and said that he could tell me whatever he wanted to say in the fullest confidence". On receiving such a call most of us would simply say, "Sorry, you have the wrong number", and this is what we teach our children also to do as a matter of ethical behaviour. Being a totally impartial observer of politics, I have to say this inadvertent admission of crudeness and brazen lack of grace on the part of the writer alone makes the remaining portions of his speculation-riddled article unworthy of reading.
Commodore (r) Parvez Iqbal
Rawalpindi
|
|
|
| Back
| Send
this story to Friend | Print
Version |
|
|
|
ISSN 1563-9479 
