Some are more equal than others
“It is wrong and immoral to seek to escape the consequences of one’s acts.” –Mahatma Gandhi
Media has made the public desensitised to the culture of corruption over a period of time. Each ‘breaking news’ of scams, mega billion scandals is a new topic of discussion in social media and drawing rooms only to be dwarfed and replaced by a more sensational ‘breaking news’ a few hours or days later. What is deeply appalling is the approach to accept such degree of corruption as ‘normal’ in terms of people holding public posts.
The 2015 edition of the Index for Economic Freedom ranks Pakistan as “mostly unfree” with scores well below world and regional averages. Heavy regulation, poor security that creates an unfavorable environment for foreign investment, lack of accountability and transparency, and restrictive markets contribute to the deep-seated economic problems Pakistan faces today. Transparency International’s Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) has more bad news: Pakistan is a very corrupt country. Pakistan’s CPI score is one of the lowest in the Asia-Pacific region. (February 23, 2015)
In 2015, a list of 150 cases was presented in by NAB to the Supreme Court that covered land scams, irregularities and gross misuse of power. Some high profile individuals have been arrested like Chairman Sindh HEC Dr Asim Hussain, Deputy General Manager Sui Southern Mr Shoaib while the Karachi High Court has issued non-bailable warrants for former Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gillani and PPP stalwart Amin Fahim.
From many quarters, this is seen as an attack against PPP. Khurshid Shah reportedly urged for an end to the ongoing arrests and said the government should not act in such a fragile manner. It would be the beginning of a war if Asif Zardari were to be detained, he warned. “We are ready to sit with the Prime Minister to decide on the stability of Pakistan.” He said a province was being targeted and pushed towards destruction. “Everything is happening in Sindh.” He urged for civilised treatment with Dr Asim Hussain.” (ARY News, August 27, 2015)
The former Petroleum Minister and currently serving as Chairman HEC Sindh Chapter is to be questioned “in connection with his alleged involvement in corruption cases. Reports suggest he was involved in money laundering, land allotment scams and corruption in LNG and CNG deals.” (Local newspaper, August 27, 2015) PPP, according to the same paper, has claimed the arrest to be politically motivated.
General (retd) Ghulam Mustafa questions the logic of the noise raised at the arrest of anyone arrested from Sindh, MQM or PPP. He asks, “Should there be quotas in corruption cases as well?
Lack of accountability is the head of the fountain from which cascades other issues. Columnist Emmanuel Asakinaba, writing for ‘Modern Ghana’, says, “Ideally, the implementation of a “no corruption policy” must begin with politicians; they wield all the coercive power, and more importantly, their acts of corruption have far-reaching consequences than whoever is so unlucky to be referred to as “the average Ghanaian”. Yet they never fail to remind the electorate that the fight belongs to everybody. Little wonder that all the blood-curdling corruption scandals have their roots in political power. So the citizenry must constantly remind the politicians that it is part of their contract to lead the way in corruption. In countries where politicians have risen “to the responsibility, to the challenge of personal example which are hallmarks of true leadership”, corruption has been made unattractive and unrewarding. Singapore readily comes to mind.” (March 16, 2015)
We need to ask ourselves some questions: Is our loyalty to any political party greater than our loyalty to Pakistan? What constitutes the stability of Pakistan? What are the roadblocks serving as impediments to the development of Pakistan? How best may these be addressed? Should we look at the lack of accountability permeating at every segment of our society or raise a hue and cry why it started from any one province? One can do nothing but feel sad at those who feel that questioning charges of corruption and questioning lack of transparency in governance results in destabilisation of the country. Can anyone sanely put forth an argument that this is the cause of an unstable Pakistan?
What is important is that accountability should be; a) across the board and not restricted to any one or more political parties so as to form a perception of political victimisation and victimisation within any one given province; and b) charges if proved must be taken to a logical conclusion. General (retd) Salahuddin Satti rightfully states, “Anybody in trouble is a sad thing but that does not justify a criminal or wrongdoer going scot-free. Similarly, a person’s good and noble deeds do not absolve him or her of crimes done. I just pray justice is done with all no matter how big or small they are so that rule of law and fear of God are put in the hearts of those looting and plundering Pakistan.”
Is that not the voice of every Pakistan loving Pakistani? We want a fair and just society for our children to grow up in and prosper. This society cannot be created by creation of more and more laws, important though presence of law may be. This society is created by code of conduct by honourable people for an honourable society and leaders that lead by example. Justice is for all. It cannot be seen to be selective. It must not be seen to be province based. Economic corruption must be dealt with. But then law must award punishment to the murderers of Khanzada as well and deal with militancy and militant outfits as well. In her tweet dated 28th August, Senator Sherry Rehman states, “Nobody should defend corruption but make it [accountability] across the board. Nobody is or should be untouchable.”
Accountability requires clarity of roles, benchmarks for success or failure, clear address to corruption and punishment as per law. Data must be monitored to ensure accountability at organisational levels starting from the centre to the provinces inclusive and not exclusive of individual benefits harvested.
A must read for our schools and all aspiring politicians should be George Orwell’s ‘Animal Farm,’ the crux of the book being that the organisation’s bosses often manipulate the organisation for their own benefit, and end up being as bad, if not worse, than the real or imaginary evils from which they are protecting their followers.
