From Memo to CJ Family Gate, national Security review is timely need

Barrister Amjad Malik

Pakistan is engulfed in scandals from princes and playboy to Memo, and now Family gate. Chief Justice’s son is good or bad, but his private life is splashing in such an unprofessional media frenzy that right voice is missing. His foreign trips, cash for favour claims & blackmailing all count for nothing when it comes to evidential standard of proof. last few days were confined to a worst smear & whisper campaign where right of privacy of two individuals enshrined in Article 8 of the European Convention of Human Rights 1950 so as in the Constitution of Pakistan were thrashed senselessly.

Funny on top was the stories that British journalist is about to publish a story on the give and take goose stories however, before publication & without evidence those stories were in advance published on guess work. Scandalous conspiracy theories were invented through one sided site of some papers too. There were rumours that one brother of a top gun made billions and is too a thorn in the eyes of many and part two of any such publication will be to expose those pure on top, but nothing will be the news and or is surprising as recent events reveal that ruling elite has no shame, honour and or contempt for corruption. What irritated me was the fact that Pakistani land tycoon in a God fatherly style offered better packages to many army officials post leaving their lucrative sensitive posts. They happily surrendered their honourable pensions and took employment of that known Rowdy Rathore. He claims to buy any & every segment of those who matters in the society. After OBL incident, Haqqani network memo, Orion destructions and Dr Shakeel Afridi’s embarrassing injections to aid its masters are causing national embarrassment and, I feel this is about time that institutional review of national security apparatus is carried out sincerely by all top institutions.

Whether Pakistan wishes to keep dual nationals or not in their parliament is futile question in the circumstances as the evidence of disloyalty is contrary to claims. All those ‘selling’ are pure Pakistani nationals not overseas citizens.  Pivotal question which remains unanswred is why elite is acting so greedy, hollow and money friendly. Why everyone is up for sale for two pence. Retribution must start now otherwise state apparatus which is decaying fast soon will result in fights between stake holders like warlords over their shares. When Army’s top brass is not satisfied its post retirement arrangements it’s a worrying sign. Hence from sons to brother of the top brass are playing in millions and visiting Monte Carlo without notice of their guardians signal of dangerous signs & times ahead. From all segment of society voices are murmuring scandals over scandals and no one is paying attention. Corruption has crept in the blood of the state of Pakistan and irony is those in top posts are contributing in proliferating this menace. They think cat will disappear by closing eyes or by parking their families abroad or banking their slashed funds at western financial storages. In Pakistan fair trial is a dream and due process is an excuse to hit and run and all top jurists are either already engaged by their wirldly God as was indicated in Punjab bank saga or will be engaged by this new 'player' to play a ‘devil’s Advocate’. Interestingly one will find all the staunch supporter of rule of law drive on their  payroll ready to rock and roll when turned on. So in this turmoil who will give justice, and how will it be sought.

China curbed the tendency of flouting with public office and purse. So did western world despite having cash for honours and expenses scandals which media exposed it went for retribution and looked down upon those with sheer contempt and cleared them off their ranks. Still the process is ongoing. British Parliamentarians bring those to account who flout with the law. In Pakistan society is interested in scandal news and that’s it . They then get tired as no one damn care about the conclusion of those stories circling around . From ‘Haj’ to ‘NICL ‘ and from ‘Punjab Bank’ to ‘Ephedrine’ scandal, all remains unsolved and untried and all is on sale. Media like a naughty child ignite a debate and bosses close the very discussion without a fair conclusion. Free media like a sword is acting harshly with complete impunity, without restrictions & compensation regime and killing the societal fabrics where privacy is like a dream. In the absence of any regulatory and judicial forum no one is safe from scandal to a frivolous campaign as its all on Buyers beware concept. One turns on a channel, they may be shown any to everything. None in media could produce one single piece of evidence to support claims or substantiate their side of stories yet everyone was talking about it in Pakistan for last few days. Role of those investigating is curtailed too. With some actions, and lack of coherent national policy on hundreds missing, its already on back foot quite entangled on the subject. It is in  the firing line for acting as a hired gun when westerns shift their garbage to their end and they receive it with blame for some added pounds of flesh. Whether its media, business tycoons, army, judiciary or bureaucracy or politicians, all are indirectly supporting the existing status quo full of malice, nepotism and corruption thus restricting the genuine way to an honest truly representative leadership which brings transparency, good governance and accountability in all ranks and file.

Money has been too much involved in societal business that living and dying is bottling down to dollars in Pakistan.  Country enriched with natural resources and minerals is exploited by thugs and nation of 200 smart street men and women is turned into useless garbage without electricity, clean water, Gas, cheap petrol and or employment. Things cannot continue like this longer. Society will have to seek answers from these ruling elite and act as ‘Anna Hazarey’ to curb this selling tendencies where any tom, dick and harry is putting a price on the national honour in a public auction. Little late, then we will see ex chief justices, poets, philosophers, columnists and academia joining the entourage of the land mafia singing songs of their praises for the two time bread. Society and state Apparatus must Open their eyes and review  national security arrangements in Pakistan as threat from outside is understandable but here the threat is emanating from within. Curbing the lust for power and money is a challenge the society will have to accept if it ever wishes to avoid Nigeria like situation. So my message is to Pakistan and it's people 'wake up'.

Barrister Amjad Malik is a life member of SCBA and a chair of the Association of Pakistani Lawyers (UK) 

8 June 2012