Pakistan’s Al Capones during the past two decades in real estate, corruption, construction, human trafficking, kickbacks, tax evasion, organised crime, extortion, and massive flight of capital, have become stronger and wealthier, evading judicial prosecution through political manoeuvering and services of leading lawyers, apart from affiliation with political elite and members of paid establishment. As compared to them, Alphonse Gabriel Al Capone attained notoriety during Prohibition era in Chicago heading Chicago Outfit, a city which his mafia ruled for seven years, ending in 1931 at the age of 33 when he was sentenced to 11 years in prison for tax evasion after an investigation launched by IRS special unit headed by Frank Wilson.
In 1927 US Supreme Court had ruled that all income, earned through legal or illegal means such as bootlegging etc, had to be declared. As compared to Chicago’s Alphonse his counterparts in Pakistan hardly pay any income tax, run private armed militias killing thousands, openly indulge in occupation of state and private lands through threats and intimidation, living lifestyle of rich and famous, and nobody dares to challenge them. As for tax payment, in a rare instance when Judicial Commission appointed by Supreme Court of Pakistan found one of leading dons involved in tax evasion of almost Rs120 billion, the State and FBR chose to look other way.
Almost every other day, thousands of Pakistanis’ lifelong savings are vandalised by Ponzi schemes and launching of housing schemes within country and in the Gulf. So powerful are these mafia dons that a model carrying half a million dollars caught at Islamabad Airport by Customs was put in judicial remand where she is enjoying VIP protocol and privileges. The model was allegedly on her 42nd such trip in the past two years and was only caught after the entire Customs and FIA shift deputed at Islamabad Airport was changed by the Interior Minister after protests and complaints by the UK government following a video put up on YouTube by a Pakistani origin British national who was demanded 10 pounds as fee for not checking his baggage.
MALIK TARIQ ALI
Lahore
