Corruption has become an integral part of our body politic
and a cancerous malaise of our “national character.” It was this realization
that the nation voted for the “slogan of change” of PM Imran Khan, supported and
coined by the strongest military establishment. Unfortunately, the drive of
anti-corruption is becoming a laughing stock as old corrupt cases are slowed
down, hushed up or seriously weakened by legal manipulation, and the new corrupt
practices know no limits because the corrupt mafia have become bold after the
fate of mega scandals as the one in question discussed hereafter as an example
of our lethargy, connivance and misuse of state authority of “an intelligence
agency”: for the benefit of those high officials who are involved in the seven
billion scam of Arms and Ammunitions, fraudulently bought for KP Police during
the ANP government, leading to the deaths and injuries of thousands of policemen
by using sub-standard weapons and shields while fighting against the militants
during the war on terror.When the mega scam was unearthed and a number of
inquiries held, the NAB, KP took a great step by arresting the then IGP Malik
Naveed Khan and raiding his 40- Kanal house at Jaghra, a Peshawar suburb. The
second important arrest was that of the then Budget officer of IG- office, Javed,
who is now facing an enquiry for Rs. 150 million detected assets beyond legal
means and from whom Rs. 40 million were recovered along with costly pistols and
vehicles. The spectacular development of NAB, KP was the winning over of the
contractor, Majeed& Sons as approver who has committed to honestly disclose the
whole melodrama of seven billion corruption scam and provide all money trail,
including the return of Rs. 120 million as a part of his conditional pardon. Mr.
Majeed, the bonafide approver, has disclosed succinctly the role of Budget
officer Javed, who took Rs. 460 million from him, Rs. 360 million payment to the
then IGP, Malik Naveed, Rs. 200 million paid to one Ali Raza, for GhazanHoti,
the brother of the then CM, KP Amir HaiderHoti, Rs. 65 lacs taken by a PSP
officer, and Rs. 200 million paid to the Advisor to the CM, KP, Sayed Niaz Ali
Shah. The accused accomplices, Ali Raza, GhazanHoti, and Niaz Ali Shah returned
the looted money through theAccountability Court, as part of plea-bargain,
rendering them illegible for any public office for ten years. The PSP officer,
however returned the money as voluntary return (VR), making him liable for
serious repercussions in light of the newly announced policy for compulsory
retirement. Two military officers, Col. Asif and a major of the Ordnance Factory
of Pak Army returned Rs. 75 and 65 lacs respectively for false promise of
closing the NAB enquires, through their contacts, and who faced strict actions
from the GHQ.The GHQ also took action against a few military officers for giving
verification certificates falsely for the low quality weapons and equipment. The
GHQ timely action made some recovery which was handed over to the NAB, KP, and
also resulted in the dismissal and demotion of the accused officers and their
seniors for lack of supervision. The revelation of the contractor, Majeed& Sons
is a heart-breaking story of how corruption has spread like a cancer in our
politics, civil and other departments.On the other hand, the role of the
judiciary is not satisfactory, and below the expectations of the general public,
media, civil society and lower ranks of KP Police who all suffered in terms of
their lives and the lives of their near and dear, besides a decade long poorly
fought War on Terror due to this seven billion corruption scandal. Media, time
and again, attracted the attention of the judiciary not to grant bail to the
main accused, all senior police officers, and not to remove their names from the
ECL. Sadly, to say, all major culprits got bails from the learned PHC and also
got their names off the ECL, so the mega scam is seriously weakened, as they are
free and sitting on high posts to manipulate and influence the investigation.
Even the attitude of the Accountability Court is not justice- friendly to
conclude the case on merit and put a barricade to the delaying tactics of the
highly- priced lawyers who have no feelings for the miseries of the public and
police force, but who are prolonging the case for their exorbitant fee. The
public and justice demand the Honourable Chief Justice of learned PHC, to order
the arrest of all the accused and conclude the case by the Accountability Court.
The KP, NAB should also stop discrimination against the poor accused as only
Malik Naveed and Javed have their assets enquiry, why not the other co-accused?
The learned CJ, PHC should also seek the NAB explanation on this point.
The writer is a senior Journalist He can be reached at [email protected] Mobile
No, +60109301521