Taking the state for a ride

In the backdrop of revelations about fake bank accounts and money laundering, the JIT formed by the chief justice of Pakistan on September 5 has submitted its report.

The JIT report gives an incisive look into how men in power and politicians who have ruled this country have been using their position and authority to take the state for a ride to build their own fortunes as well as those of their families and those who helped them accomplish their sinister designs.

Political corruption occurs at the highest level of the political system, usually at the policy formulation level when politicians and state agents entitled to make and enforce laws in the name of the people, use their position to sustain their power, status and wealth – leading to misallocation of resources and perversion of the process of decision-making. Systemic or endemic corruption is an integrated and essential aspect of the economic, social and political systems prevalent in a country, embedded in a wider situation that helps sustain it.

We are a society completely immersed in corruption, which decidedly has been the bane of our socio-economic development and national integration. Our rulers – both military dictators and politicians – are equally responsible for this unfortunate phenomenon, which due to its trickle-down effect has also penetrated into the entire fabric of our society.

Law-enforcement agencies, the lower judiciary and government departments which are supposed to ensure rule of law, justice, a check on corruption and promotion of the wellbeing of the masses, are themselves afflicted with corruption. And, regrettably, there seems no end in sight to this process of self-destruction. We have often been heard rulers talk about about their resolve to eliminate corruption from the top echelons of the government and of society, as and when it suited their political interests. But the fact is that whatever accountability mechanisms they did put in place, they were meant to target their political opponents rather than an arrangement for across-the-board accountability. Political expediencies have been the overriding considerations in letting corrupt power wielders off the hook.

Thanks to the personal interest of the chief justice of Pakistan and the commitment of the PTI government to challenge corruption, a genuine and honest initiative seems to have been taken. There are credible portents to suggest that if in the end the revelations made in the JIT report are substantiated in the courts, the accused will face the given penalties and punishment.

It is pertinent to point out that the opposition parties, particularly the PPP and the PML-N, have claimed that the cases of corruption against them are tantamount to political victimisation and a consequence of collusion between NAB and the PTI government. But this claim gets reduced by the fact that the JIT was formed on the orders of the CJ and not the government. The JIT comprised additional DG FIA, a brigadier from the ISI, an official of the SECP, a high-ranking official of the State Bank, a tax commissioner and a director from NAB. As is evident, it was not a report compiled by NAB only. The JIT was formed in view of the fact that white-collar crimes are very difficult to investigate and therefore its members should have the relevant expertise to dig deep into the case, bare its entire contours and identify the persons involved in it.

The chairman of NAB has taken notice of the outrage against his organisation, and has expressed the resolve that NAB will persist with its relentless efforts to bring the corrupt to book irrespective of their political stature.

It seems the effort by political parties to politicise the issue of corruption is not going to help their cause this time. It would be advisable for them to face these cases in the courts of law, using their legal and constitution rights to defend their stance. Corruption is a criminal act and those involved in it or alleged to have been involved can only plead their innocence or otherwise through legal channels. There is no justification whatsoever for them to attach motives to the state agencies probing their corruption cases.

Playing the political card no more seems relevant since the PTI government is in saddle, and has taken an uncompromising position on the issue. In all probability, there will be no NROs or deals like those made in the past to let the corrupt go scot free.

Elimination of corruption, making corrupt political leaders and their cronies pay for their crimes and plugging the avenues of corruption through systemic reforms is a national cause and there is an unyielding national consensus on it. If this country has to move forward, the menace of corruption will have to be tackled effectively. We need to say: enough is enough. There is an imperative need to work against corruption – almost with a missionary zeal – by all the stakeholders in the future prosperity and progress of the country. It is indeed an uphill task under the prevailing circumstances but, given the will, nothing is impossible. The PTI has won the franchise of the people on the basis of promises to ensure good governance and elimination of corruption.

Prime Minister Imran Khan has rightly identified corruption as the number one challenge confronting the country and a cause of all its woes. However, mere identifying the disease is not enough; a proper cure is warranted.

The efforts of the government with regard to tackling corruption and roping in corrupt politicians and public office-holders will surely be backed by the people – provided the process is indiscriminate, transparent, across the board and in conformity with the law and constitution.

The writer is a freelance contributor. Email: ashpak10@gmail.com