Panama to Pakistan Leaks

The recovery of around 60 crore rupees and dollars beside jewellery worth crores of rupees from Balochistan Finance Secretary Mushtaq Raisani was just the "tip of the iceberg", as bureaucrats have also joined the "bandwagon" of corrupt politicians and generals whose cases have already surfaced in the "Panama papers" as we all await the Panama Leaks Part-11 today. Who is not corrupt in this system is now the key question and what is the way forward?

Pakistanis are anxiously waiting for the list of some 400 more Pakistanis including businessmen, bureaucrats and politicians whose names are likely to appear in the second part of the Panama Papers. This may further intensify the debate on different modes of corruption in our society, which has already become a huge political issue in the country, but one fears the probe may lose its direction and become too politicized instead of leading to action.

The Panama Leaks are just information based on certain documents and facts which still require long legal battle, but what about the huge Pakistani Leak from Balochistan. Is it not enough to expose the corrupt cartel?

It would be wrong to declare those named in the Leaks "corrupt" without being probed but the Part-11 would certainly expose another segment of the society.

The burden of truth often lies with the accuser or prosecution but the accused also needs to defend his position in case he is accused, particularly if he is a ruler and the name of his family appears in a controversial business.

Raisani is just one bureaucrat but his arrest and the recovery of a huge amount from him clearly indicates how "development funds" have been robbed in this country. He is the one who has been caught but there must be his accomplices and beneficiaries and one has to wait and see how far this case will go.

In case of an "across-the-board accountability," we will be able to find answer to a simple question: why has Pakistan not progressed? Former chief minister Dr Abdul Malik's defense was weak. Yes, there was no serious allegation against him nor there was any scam, but how a chief minister remained unaware of matters pertaining to the most important ministry, i.e. Finance Ministry and also of Local Government. He has presented himself for accountability, but to which forum? Will he go and record his statement before the NAB? It is also being learnt that in the last few months, some Rs 1.3 billion have been "distributed" under the head of the local government. If true, how and where?

The National Party should also seek personal explanation from its leader and other ministers of his cabinet. It’s essential because the moral responsibility in this case lies with the then finance minister and also the chief minister. 

The opposition demand for the "resignation" of the cabinet is not illegal or unconstitutional. Balochistan Chief Minister Sanaullah Zehri can set a good precedence as he was also a senior minister in Malik's cabinet. The former CM has to accept responsibility for his failure.

The NAB should expand its inquiry against other ministries too, to find out how many secretaries and others have "stored" money in their "safe houses". Can they do it?

The conviction of six army officers including a 3-star and a 2-star general weeks before the Raisani case has opened a “Pandora’s box”, explaining how some civil and military officers had indulge in huge corruption. But, this is just “the tip of the iceberg" if both the NAB and the army hold transparent probe into projects worth millions of dollars.

Billions of rupees in the past had been used by successive governments in the name of "horse-trading," from Midnight Jackal and vote of no confidence to dislodge Benazir Bhutto's government to the 1990 Mehran Bank scam. It is no secret how millions of rupees were allegedly used to stop the 2009 long march of Nawaz Sharif.

But the recovery of crores of rupees from a provincial secretary reminded us of stories of alleged recovery of millions from the house of a former minister and launches captured from criminals with political links. What happened to all these inquiries and where is the money?

What happened to 14,000 files of the Sindh Building Control? What about the probe into "China-cutting"? Silence on the part of investigative agencies raised serious questions on the probe related to real estate. After the arrest of scores of suspects linked with corruption in the Fisheries Department, has the situation improved? If not, who is minting money now? Why the probe into 50 billion rupees loss in the missing 19,000 containers never came to surface?

It is good that Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah's ex-adviser Dr Asim Hussain has finally been charged in one of many cases against him. But, will he also face cases as mentioned in a JIT probe that had declared him the richest man having $88 billion.

Like in the case of Dr Malik, the Sindh CM, who also enjoyed good personal reputation, can't get away by simply saying, "He was not aware of corruption in one department or the other."

It would not be difficult to find out how many of us are living beyond our means of earning, i.e. salary, allowances and other legal sources. If not, they fall in the category of the corrupt. We may have many Mushtaq Raisanis around us including officers from Grade 16 to 22.

The stories of alleged corruption in the armed forces primarily came for three reasons: (1) commercialization, particularly in real estate (2) commission, and (3) when serving or retired officers were posted to civilian departments.

Army Chief Gen Raheel Sharif has set few good examples but needs to expose more, if he really wants to check corruption. 

True or false, but if the kind of inquiries pending with the NAB in Sindh become true, they could unearth the biggest "Sindh Leak".

The tragedy is that when today's opposition was in power in the past, it did the same because of highly-politicised and corrupt bureaucracy.

To expose corruption is not as difficult as we portray the so called "white collar" crime in the media. After the Panama Leaks, politicians from the ruling and opposition parties are playing politics in a bid to politicize the issue.

Why should Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif not answer the parliament, declare his and his family's assets? The governments don't ask questions as they are supposed to give answers. So, if the government and its alleys have decided that they would not reply to questions in the National Assembly, the prime minister would set a bad precedent. It’s not only undemocratic but unconstitutional as well.

It is good that the PM has offered himself for accountability, but he should do it before the parliament, too.

The role of the opposition is confusing too as its Terms of Reference clearly reflect "bias" against one man. Yes, the accountability should start from the PM, but why the opposition parties have not suspended their leaders whose names had appeared in the Panama Leaks, till the outcome of the Judicial Commission.

But, after the recovery of crores of rupees and dollars from Mushtaq Raisani and pending inquiries on the Nandipur Power Project and scores of other projects, it’s clear how some bureaucrats became billionaires and why civil service became too politicized. 

No wonder why Pakistan has not progressed and where its money worth trillions of rupees and dollars had gone.

No wonder why Balochistan could not be developed as money supposed to be spent on development had been dumped in the "Safe Houses." 

If one thing which Mushtaq Raisani's case has done, if nothing else, it has now given clear indication where billions of rupees might be dumped. It appeared as the "Safe Houses" have been converted into personal banks as it is now difficult to put money in banks or sent abroad.

Will this case or Panama Leaks Part 1 and Part 11 lead to something better for the country or will be another story and business as usual?

The writer is a senior columnist and analyst of the Geo News, The News and daily Jang.