Like dozens of other mega financial scams, the future of the NICL scam involving over Rs 5 billion and the bigwigs of the ruling elite seems dark, as chief investigator for the case Federal Investigation Agency’s (FIA) Additional Director General Zafar Qureshi is retiring on September 30 this year and no other investigator in the Agency seems willing to give in to the government’s pressure to probe the matter fairly and independently to take it to its logical conclusion.
Qureshi, who despite facing government pressure, life threats and suspension from service, successfully recovered over Rs 1.74 billion involved in the scam, besides unveiling the involvement of many bigwigs in the scam including Chaudhry Monis Elahi- son of senior Federal Minister Chaudhry Pervez Elahi and Abdul Qadir Gilani- son of Prime Minister Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani.
Despite repeated directions by the Supreme Court to the interior secretary and FIA director general to cooperate with Zafar Qureshi in the investigation process of the scam, both officials erected barricades in the investigation process instead of cooperating. Following this, a few days prior, Qureshi sent a letter to the Supreme Court stating that both the officials were not cooperating with him.
It is believed that the government has been using delaying tactics to drag the case as it was waiting for Qureshi’s retirement, who is retiring on September 30 this year after attaining the age of superannuation. Maybe the government believes that after his retirement, no FIA official would have courage to unveil the influential people involved in the scam, besides prosecuting those whose involvement has been proved.
The government’s repeated move to sabotage the NICL scam investigation by one tactic or another may invite a fresh row between the executives and the judiciary. The Supreme Court has always been showing judicial restraint in the matter, but this time around it may take strict action against the top functionaries who are trying to hush up the matter by sabotaging the legal process.
Since the Supreme Court took suo motu notice into the NICL scam, the government has been trying to prevent any transparent investigation into the scam which gives further rise to the fact that there is a lot of substance in the case, and if it is pursued honestly, some more of the “high and mighty” might get convicted.
Although corruption inhibits good governance, undermines economic development, stunts growth, fuels poverty and creates political instability, the government seems to turn away. It is a settled fact that no nation can develop to its full capacity of progress or realise its full potential if its social system is plagued by corruption and inefficiency. Corruption not only causes a severe drain on the national economy, it also acts as a major disincentive for serious foreign investors.
Unfortunately, the acts of corruption come to light only when the damage has been done or once majestic structures fall to the ground.the NICL scam started from the embezzlement of Rs 5 billion by a friend of Prime Minister Gilani, but now it has emerged as the binding force between Pakistan Muslim League Quaid and the government.
Initially, there were reports that the NICL management struck four deals of land purchase at higher rates, but over time, twists and turns in the scam have brought the incumbent government to a do or die situation for its survival. However, it was obvious from the very beginning that the Chaudhrys of Gujrat had joined the government to save their scion Moonis Elahi, who was in imminent danger of being convicted. As a quid pro quo for joining the government, the Pakistan People’s Party leadership assured the Chaudhrys that the NICL case would be torpedoed.
Unfortunately, the incumbent government seems to have devised a two-pronged strategy to frustrate the accountability drive of the apex court fuelled by media disclosures of corruption: It will neither allow the creation of an autonomous accountability institution nor permit any existing organisation to independently investigate the charges of graft or fraud. Secondly, it will continue abusing the due process of law that courts observe in order to delay and defeat the delivery of justice, and upon exhausting procedural impediments, politicise the issue to embroil the judicial outcomes in public controversy.
It looks like the government is not appointing the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) chairman and prosecutor general either, despite repeated orders of the apex court, just to frustrate their attempts to enforce legal accountability.
