(Atif R. Mazari)
Behind every great fortune there is a crime (Balzac), nothing can be said better than this to describe our ruling elite since demise of Muhammad Ali Jinnah (Quaid-e-Azam). Pakistan is a country with full of natural resources but surviving on donations/loan from IMF, World Bank and other financial institutions.
People of Pakistan after 69 years of independence still living in rural areas without basic necessities of life, financial gap between rich and poor is widening day by day. Pakistan facing dozens of problem because of visionless and ordinary ruling elite, electricity load shedding prevailing since 3 decades, educational institutions still lacking the basic facilities, basic health care, pure water and sanitation problem, currency devaluation, worse economic condition, terrorism, corruption, unemployment, political instability and on top of all bad governance (police, administration and investigating agencies).
If we take a look at last decade you will be shocked to know that dozens of cases filed for investigation in government agencies FIA, NAB like Rental Power Projects (RPP) scam, PMDC fake registrations: Mismanagement, Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), Pakistan Railways, Hajj corruption case, OGRA scam, NATO containers case, Pakistan Steel Mills scam, NICL corruption case: Ephedrine quota case, The media gate scandal, Security leaks, Panama Papers, Model Town Massacre, and many more. Doctors, Paramedical staff, teachers, traders, real estate investors, victims of overhead bridge collapse are looking towards Supreme Court for their rights despite the fact these are administrative matters and to be resolved at institutional level.
Pakistan is suffering from a fatal problem known as bad governance and blame game. Every state owned institution is blaming opposition parties or other departments for the poor performance. Government of Pakistan since General Musharraf regime showing way of Supreme Court even if its price control or law & order issue instead of taking bold steps, if every problem will be resolved through supreme court of Pakistan then why institutions are getting budget of billions and spending billions of rupees in electing such stupid politician to loot us. If supreme court is here to maintain law and order situation, probe financial corruption (panama case) then why heads of state institutions getting perks and privilege by putting the burden of taxes upon poor masses.
The question here arose if FIA, NAB acting like the slaves (Judges remarks in panama case) of political elites, then corruption should be declared as legitimize for all. Why should rest of the nation face imprisonment or financial penalties on minor charges, whereas corrupt people are treated as elite law makers or administrators. Couple of months ago a newspaper ranked the corrupt political leadership of Pakistan in 2016 as: 1 Nawaz Sharif 2 Asif Ali Zardari 3 Yousaf Raza Gilani 4 Altaf Hussain 5 Fazal ur Rehman 6 Shahbaz Sharif 7 Ishaq Dar 8 Hanif Abassi 9 Mushahid Ullah 10 Rana Sanaullah.
If someone inquired about the facts the paid media persons and interest groups starts ranting it tactics against the sovereignty of Pakistan. White collar crime is the line of sitting government as Supreme Court mentioned in the judgment, inefficient evidences are not enough to prove governing elite guilty. Bail of Ayyan Ali, Dr. Asim, Sharjeel Memon, Ishaq Dar despite the affidavit on money laundering roaming the world as the state representative.
Panama leaks scandal shaken the walls of the civilized world, 2 senior judges of Apex court established the fact that Prime Minister of Pakistan Muhammad Nawaz Sharif is involved in money laundering or hiding his black money from the people of Pakistan (Verdict of Supreme Court on 20th April 2017). It doesn’t ended here, a Joint Investigation Team (JIT) formed under the direct supervision of Supreme Court comprising representatives of FIA (Committee Head), NAB, SBP, SECP, ISI and MI. The decision of Supreme Court to form and report the apex court shows that governing elite ruined the state institutions for the sake of personal interest.
Due to a vacuum of leadership, it is inviting international players to interfere and manipulate the masses of Pakistan in own style. Through strong media campaign these corrupt elites are welcomed to govern again after couple of years. A common English saying goes as “fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice, shame on me”. Perhaps we are far away from that civilization.
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