Apropos Federal Information Minister’s statement that “government will not let the accountability process undermine the country’s progress”. It seems definition of progress has been redefined where affluent traders and powerful vested interests thrive while state depleted funds accompanied with brain drain and massive tax evasion are not considered crime. How can mega projects be launched without following due process of checks and balances? Governments are elected to serve people, not vested or self-interests.
All over developed and civilised world strict accountability for financial and ethical irregularities has resulted in good governance and sufficient state funds collected through direct taxes available to invest in education, health, security with an independent judiciary, powerful transparent regulatory controls and research in technological advances. It is in third world where corruption thrives and state sovereignty is often compromised at altar of greed and corruption, that gap between rich and poor widens, with state absolving itself of constitutional responsibilities of welfare for most deprived and preferring to promote individual interests and numerous accountability institutions protecting vultures instead of protecting state assets and national exchequer. Housing societies for pensionable paid servants of state and allotment of multiple plots for commercial profits is an abuse.
Pakistan, instead of modern welfare state envisioned by Quaid or strict accountability of ruling elite, a hallmark of Holy Prophet (PBUH) teachings, is no longer the guiding force of those who wield power. The choice for people is whether we will allow men like Musharraf, Shaukat Aziz, Zardari or Nawaz to decide our fate, or will stand up to get equal rights and equal opportunities given by constitution which also guarantees applicability of laws to all citizens without discrimination. Pakistan was not created by our founding fathers to replace British Raj and East India Company by men who may have originated from Pakistan, but when out of power prefer to live abroad, pay all due taxes in those countries where their assets and families have relocated, after making hay while sun shined for them in this unfortunate country. It is our failure to enforce strict accountability of ruling elite that criminal black economy is expanding while documented is shrinking, and terrorism thrives because recruiting young men deprived of education and employment are easy prey.
M TARIQ ALI
Lahore
