Former German president’s home searched

REUTERS

German President Christian Wulff makes a statement in

 the presidential residence Bellevue Palace in Berlin.

Berlin - German authorities say police have searched the

 private house of the country's former president who

 stepped down last month amid corruption allegations.

Hannover prosecutors' spokesman Hans-Juergen

 Lendeckel said Christian Wulff's house in

 nearby Grossburgwedel was searched Friday, but would

 not say whether any evidence was found.

The 52-year-old Wulff stepped down from the largely

 ceremonial post after allegations he received favors

 such as a loan with advantageous terms and hotel

 stays from friends when he was Lower Saxony's state

 governor.

Prosecutors say there is suspicion that Wulff improperly

accepted benefits from David Groenewold, a German film

 producer, whose Berlin house was also searched Friday.

Parliament is electing a new president later this month. - Sapa-AP

 Will our leaders learn from Germany &

 Israel?

German President Christian Wulff had to quit and go home simply because it is alleged that he took loan on easy terms which as such contravened the terms of the loan and as a consequence the authorities said that the president has proved himself to be corrupt. It must be remembered that Wulff is not charged for not repaying the loan but getting the loan on favorable terms and conditions. He is also accused of staying at some hotel with his friends where the hotel bill is not paid by him but his friend.

Which adjectives and how many should I use both for Wulff and the authorities? Isn’t it commendable that when President Wull realized that his personal character is being questioned, he preferred to resign rather than face humiliation while sitting as President of the country? By tendering resignation he has paved the way for transparent investigation so that now the investigators can do whatever they want to do without fear of any coercion from him because now he is no more the president but an ordinary citizen. Didn’t he now provide complete free hand to the investigating authorities? The authorities too must be given due credit who were neither timid nor afraid to raise their fingers against Wulff who at that point of time was very much the president of the country. Investigator, irrespective of the rank, is not above the president but under the president in any case and yet he showed his guts to rise against the president.

Coming to my beloved Pakistan I pen with great compunction that none of our leader comes even nearer to the German leader what to talk of better than him whatsoever. My President Asif Ali Zardari does not feel guilt for doing wrong rather, on the contra; he boasts and feels pride in being corrupt. He is in race with others where each and everyone tries to cross and overtake others in corruption since to them corruption is no more a vice but a virtue. Our leaders not only take very big loans and that too at their own terms and conditions but then they do not pay back loans also. Most of them take loans from as many banks as possible and then they forget the loans. They disregard the reminders sent by bank for repayment of loans. Hold your breath, our leaders have the guts to get their loans waived off and NRO is the worst and recent example where billions of rupees have sunk because President of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan with his one stroke of pen waived off all the bank loans. None dares to ask them about their nonpayment of loans unless he himself turns out to be his own enemy.

As regards staying in hotel is concerned I would like to mention that my president takes his friends on official trips but not at his personal expense but at the government cost. How many go on Umra and Haj fully paid by our national exchequer simply cannot even be accounted for. Who from ministry of finance, or auditor general and or anti corruption had ever even thought to ask Zardari as to how he burns our national money in obliging his friends and relatives alike?

It is reported in press that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netayahu has been questioned by the comptroller to explain as to how and under what provision he could go on luxurious overseas trip with his wife and friends. The news further said that the expense for the trip was not by either by PM or by the government but by one of his personal friend. Hats off for the those who are questioning none but PM of the country as to what could be the personal interest of the friend who bore the expenses for the trip of PM. Needless to mention, had PM Benjamin used public money on the trip then the comptroller must had gone mad and may be had inflicted somebody injury rather than just limiting to questioning. What a great example is being set in the country whose people we hate not just dislike because they are not Muslims but Jews which is a hard fact and not just guess or fiction but at the same time be prudent enough and not just be lunatic to defend ourselves and condemn them.  

How do we define honesty in Pakistan, may I dare ask? Have we turned shameless? Who is the best Zardari, Wulff or Benjamin, better you decide and not me but on oath and not otherwise?

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Iqbal Hadi Zaidi / Kuwait