I have no reason to doubt the competence of the Chairman National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Justice (R) Javed Iqbal.
But, I am seriously concerned over the cases being lost by NAB- especially cases of the high profile persons.
Sharif family was on the radar. Thousands of documents recovered. Billions of dollars traced. NAB arrested them. Newspapers were full of stories. TV channels held hours and hours of talk shows where very serious, grim faced and prudent looking anchors discussed the wrongs of Sharifs with proofs flashing on the TV screens.
Social media was not far behind. From abuses to prayers for the Sharifs, every sort of good and bad was available. Sharifs appeared before the accountability court judges as if the judge was a culprit and they were the masters.
Their cavalcade was more spectacular than the state visitors. Police seemed subservient to the Sharifs and provided full protocol. Cameras flashed all around. Their supporters and the so-called top leadership tried their level best to show their presence. Rose petals would be showered and slogans raised. Sharifs would walk in and walk out of the court with victory signs made and broader than broad smiles on their faces.
The focus suddenly shifted to Zardari, his sister Faryal, his so-called friend Anwar Majeed and his sons. There was an up roar, similar to the one witnessed against the Sharifs. The scene was not very different than the Sharifs. It was the repeat of all the events that were enacted earlier as mentioned in the previous paragraph.
One more thing common among both the families was hiring of top lawyers of the country. It is hearsay that Sharifs paid millions of rupees to their attorneys, where as Zardari and his associates in alleged crime were represented by the best lawyers of the country, who happened to be in PPP- the political outfit that Zardari runs.
Then came the second tier of leaders. Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, Ahsan Iqbal, Khawaja Saad Rafique and his brother, Khursheed Shah, etc. The pomp and show was reduced to almost nothing.
The general public was forced to believe that accountability would be visible. Billions of dollars and rupees would be recovered. All the culprits would languish in the jail. Naivety was at its peak.
Lo and behold, all are free citizens now, expect few. All the Sharif family except Mariam Safdar and Hamza, are enjoying the cozy comfort of their flats in London-the same flats which had initially become basis for instituting cases by NAB for alleged for purchasing them through alleged ill-gotten money.
Zardari is more than comfortable in his own house. Shahid Khaqan and Ahsan Iqbal are roaming around and apparently active in politics again.
Now, comes the repeat of events again. This time it is the media tycoon, Mir Shakeel ur Rehman. This time the drama is being enacted differently but with the same old theme.
Very interestingly, I received a small write up from Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto’s ADC, Squadron Leader (later Air Commodore and Additional Secretary in the Federal Government) Khalid Saeed Haroon.
Here it is being produced with his permission, “His dad Mir Kalilur Rehman was desperately calling me to get him an appointment with ZAB a few days before martial law. ZAB would always cross out his name. Jang took out a supplement on the morning of ML titled
‘Bhutto hakumat ka takhta ulat diya gaya’. I gave that supplement to ZAB in Murree. He said ‘MKR owes Rs 35 lac in taxes and he has been begging me to write it off’. ZAB had told him that only Rs 10 lac could be written off and that he had to pay Rs 25 lac as this was public money and could not be written off”. Like father like son.
Mir Shakeel ur Rehman has engaged Aitazaz Ahsan, one of the top lawyers of Pakistan and an accomplished politician. I can now predict the final outcome. One fine morning, we all will see him walking out of the court with a victory sign.
I am at a loss to understand the sermons of the Chairman NAB about accountability. Is NAB washing the dirty linen in order to cleanse the big culprits? The poor Professor who died when under custody of NAB, was he the son of a lesser God? What actions has been taken by Chairman NAB against those who investigated the cases where all the so-called big fish culprits got away scot free?
I suggest that the government should change the name of National Acountability Bureau to National Asylum Bureau. I am sure all the parliament members and political parties will rally behind the government to support this amendment.
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