Post-Osama priorities

Osama, even after his death, poses a problem for our establishment and security concerns of the people of this country, for whom this is the only place called home. It is time Pakistan’s military apparatus redefine their role as guardians and defenders of our geographical boundaries and leave the ideological boundaries to be defended by the elected civilian rulers.

However for the elected political civil government to discharge its obligations to our national sovereignty and its ideology, it is imperative that the khaki establishment stop its interference in politics by negotiating such documents as the NRO which give space to the corrupt to take part in politics without going through the judicial process.

Unfortunately, we have allowed the state to be held captive to men, who have neither any stakes in this country, nor any credibility. For the ruling elite of a country, where the constitution mandates that all laws will conform to Islamic morality, it is shocking that electoral rolls are faked, and men with history of financial crimes and loan defaults are allowed to hold public offices.

Even members of the military establishment, retired generals are being granted immunity from accountability although the charges of institutionalized plundering of banks and real estate have been leveled against them. Just review the list of men involved in recent scams such as Railways, NICL, PASSCO, Rental Power, LPG, Punjab Bank, KPT, FBR etc. When rampant corruption goes unchecked than thousands of missing containers loaded with prohibited weapons, or drugs will continue to disappear and the blood of innocent citizens will continue to be spilled on streets of Karachi. Why are the killers of Nawab Bugti and hundreds of other citizens not being apprehended? It is such behavior unbecoming of a law abiding state, that gives rise to insurgencies in Balochistan. Who is responsible for granting thousands of visas to foreigners without scrutiny and clearance from our intelligence agencies and why are culprits not being punished?

We are in our present situation because individuals and institutions consider themselves to be above the law. Everybody in this country knows who is responsible for killing of innocent citizens but sensitive security apparatus shy away from discharging their constitutional obligation to uphold rule of law and constitution in Pakistan.

The choice is very clear, that we either start acting as a responsible state, where the functionaries of the state act in accordance with a code of ethics. People who have acquired wealth beyond their means must be held accountable, for such riches can only be acquired when compromises are made and this includes compromising state sovereignty and our collective national interests.

MALIK TARIQ ALI

Lahore