Necessary institutions are in place, just not used right
Accountability is the latest breaking news in mainstream politics. On the surface it stems from the Karachi operation, and how it turned very suddenly from militancy to corruption. Those ‘running’ it, and expert ex-military commentators, said at the time that it was an extension of Zarb-e-Azb. The roll-down to the main cities would naturally be different. Political militancy was the number one concern. And then the noose began tightening, finally, around financial corruption. That is why Dr Asim’s arrest (former President Zardari’s close friend and petroleum minister in the last government) caused an even bigger uproar, in some ways, than the two raids at Nine-Zero.
But PPP’s reaction quickly flirted with long-running political fault lines, besides exposing the operation’s soft underbelly. It is, after all, being run by the military – lock, stock and barrel. Rangers have been in Karachi for a decade and a half, but what happened recently only happened because Gen Raheel Sharif put his foot down. If not for him, there probably still would not have been any military operation to begin with.
That brings us to Imran Khan’s latest bright idea – that the military take charge of the accountability business in Punjab as well. Now, the great Khan is no constitution expert, but it’s not likely that this particular gesture came from complete ignorance. He knows how fed up people are with all the accountability business. It’s this firm belief, that the old crop of politicians can never hold anybody accountable because of their own failings, that draws hundreds of thousands to his jalsas and dharnas. Perhaps he knows that people are increasingly coming to the view that Gen Raheel is, after all, the game-changer. And so long as he holds the GHQ, there is the prospect of some sort of accountability.
He believes NAB, FIA and even the police are all that is required. Of course, that is not to imply they are anywhere near good enough in the present setting
But if that is unconstitutional, and politicians won’t try politicians because of some sort of muk-muka that Imran keeps talking about, then how is the process of accountability going to go forward in the country? Not forgetting, of course, that the existential war – for the moment being fought in FATA mountains – has yet to run its course.
To help understand this particular form of political paralysis, we turned to prominent political analyst and professor of political science at LUMS, Dr Rasul Bakhsh Rais.
NAB, FIA, police; glass-half-full
Unlike Imran Khan, and his hordes, Dr Rais does not hold the view that the structure – that was put in place precisely to check high-level corruption – is just no longer able to do just that.
He believes NAB, FIA and even the police are all that is required. Of course, that is not to imply they are anywhere near good enough in the present setting.
“These organisations need to be made autonomous in the true sense for any chance of real progress”, he said.
“They are not effective because the political class has reduced them to such paralysis”.
And this disregard for political institutions has become quite the hallmark of our political class, the so-called defenders of democracy.
“They have not enacted any laws that would facilitate the working of these institutions”, he added, agreeing that the ruling clique is indeed more a part of the problem than the solution.
But that was why these politicians could not be trusted with the cleansing to begin with. Hence Imran’s hints at the military expanding its domain.
“The best the military can do, or should do, at this point is support this process of accountability from behind”, he stressed. “It must not involve itself directly, which is bound to end up doing more harm than good, and creating more controversy than solving problems”.
The people, the media
But that still doesn’t answer the question.
Politicians, again, can’t be trusted. That’s why the military is significant. But that too is complicated. What if the next chief isn’t as gung-ho as this one? The last one certainly wasn’t. In fact, he was more worried about his legacy than the insurgency all through his two terms.
When the politicians are no good – when it comes to accountability – and the military can’t intervene beyond a point, then how do FIA, NAB and police gain autonomy?
And that, already, is inviting calls for the chief to stay on. Not the least from Gen Musharraf. The argument is simple. Clearly it took Gen Raheel’s personal gusto to get the operation going. And it has, also quite clearly, taken his personal push to get the ball rolling in Karachi. In a matter of months MQM is on the run and PPP’s notorious corruption has already come under the axe. All that is needed is for the process to go on and soon bad guys in Punjab will also start falling.
Wouldn’t that sort out the system? But, again, how realistic is this given Gen Sharif will be on his way out in another year or so?
“He must be very, very careful not to pay any attention to such advice”, he said of Gen Musharraf’s suggestion. “Again, the army will be respected and appreciated only as long as it remains behind the scenes. Any further ingress into the system will risk derailing it”.
He seemed pretty sure that Gen Raheel would seek neither an extension nor an outright takeover.
“It is true that mainstream politics remains hostage to dynasties, and the people of Pakistan must overcome this”, he added. “But the only real way of achieving this is strengthening institutions like NAB, FIA and police. And the best the military can do is push for their autonomy and back them in this struggle”.
And finally he gave the last key to the puzzle. When the politicians are no good – when it comes to accountability – and the military can’t intervene beyond a point, then how do FIA, NAB and police gain autonomy?
“That is where modern media and people power comes in”, he pointed out. “Already much has been achieved by this combination. And if Pakistan is to even have a hope of achieving any sort of accountability, they will once again play a very prominent role”.
