Technically-cleansed crimes

The Panama Papers throw open the details of thousands involved in organised money transfers and investments through offshore companies which may qualify either as money laundering, tax evasion or technically-cleansed crimes. Just like Caesar’s wife must be above suspicion, those aspiring to hold elected or paid public office and members of their families must be above board.

Water finds its own level and flow, so does money – black or white – in a capitalist system, finding ways to cross international borders with the help of legal tax-evading experts such as Mossack Fonseca. Quaid-e-Azam gave up his lucrative legal practice in 1944 to devote all his energies to his political struggle and avoid any semblance of conflict of interest. Politics can either be a public service or abuse of power with disastrous consequences for the likes of Marcos, etc. Can anybody visualise the public outcry if Michelle Obama or her two daughters were beneficiaries of offshore companies with investments of billions in order to evade taxes in the US?

Ali Malik

Lahore