And holy cows
As far as land fraud cases go, there is nothing about the DHA scam that is out of the ordinary; influence was allegedly exercised, allotment letters were issued and deliveries never made. These usually involve pretty straight forward paper and money trails, and slow investigation can hardly be attributed to anything other than influence or lack of will. Now, if the media is to be trusted, there is more than a slim chance of the NAB investigation finding a connection between the prime accused, Hammad Arshad, and Kamran Kayani, brother of former army chief General Ashfaq Kayani, in the Rs16b case.
There are obvious pointers, of course. This and the prior investigation against Kamran Kayani (in Islamabad) were initiated only after his brother left office. That NAB is still without proof, despite this being a seemingly open and shut case regarding a scam that has been the talk of the town for years, has also raised suspicion. But there also other essential features that the media has just brushed past in being too quick on the draw. Both cases were moved by DHA, which implies tacit military go-ahead. There is also chatter that the army’s own investigation is far ahead of NAB’s, and also more incriminating.
Why, then, is the Bureau still so slow on this case? Much has been said about across-the-board justice in the cleansing act that is supposed to go hand-in-hand with Zarb-e-Azb. And this case has suddenly grabbed the headlines as the litmus test that will tell if that justice will extend to the brass and those associated and blessed by it. To be fair, the military has only recently carried out its own internal cleansing; punishing serving and retired officers, some very senior, and some associated with some people mentioned in this case. It seems, therefore, that NAB does have the elbow room this time to push this case through aggressively. Yet there is a sort of lethargy that seems difficult to explain. If influence was indeed exercised, now is the time to bring it out in the open; and if not, settle it once and for all. And if some sacred cows are being protected, no better moment than now for NAB to expose them. If this particular case fades because of lack of will, civilian institutions will be to blame.
