Such punishments like the plea bargain scheme will only promote these criminals to continue robbing the state
LAHORE: This is with reference to the new presidential ordinance revoking discretionary powers of the National Accountability Bureau’s chairman to give plea bargain pardon to criminals involved in robbing the state of billions. In developed democracies where the state is required to cater for the welfare of the most deprived sections of society and invest in development of human resources, such financial crimes depriving the national exchequer of billions are considered more heinous crimes than murder. Those caught are given exemplary long imprisonment sentences in the US or Europe extending to 50 years with no parole, so that they serve as a deterrence for other powerful and influential crooks. Our white collar criminals, with their billions, hire the best lawyers, chartered accountants, and tax advisers and also bribe the corrupt bureaucracy and politicians to evade prosecution. Financial crimes, if not curtailed and eliminated through severe punishment, will lead to self-destruction of this country.
Robbing the state disables it to provide basic health facilities, education, clean drinking water, effective law enforcement and equitable justice for masses. This disability of state because of lack of financial funds leads to thousands of deaths, starvation and an environment where crime flourishes and the lives of citizens are endangered. Those involved in white-collar financial crimes are the biggest threat to national security, exposing the vulnerable poor to exploitation and recruitment by extremists.
The biggest challenge to national security is the difficulty faced by a few honest law-enforcement agencies to detect this crime and file charges. In the rare circumstances when such master crooks, who have become multibillionaires are caught, if laws are enacted to impose mild fines and let them off by surrendering just the loot plundered in the heist that was detected, it amounts to making a mockery of justice. Without imposing long imprisonment sentences and confiscating all their moveable and immoveable assets held by them or their family members, which cannot be justified by their tax returns, these crimes will continue to occur. Such punishments like the plea bargain scheme or that imposed by this presidential ordinance will only promote these criminals to continue robbing the state and cause untold hardships for millions who could have benefited, had the national exchequer got sufficient funds.
Malik Tariq Ali
Published in The Express Tribune, January 10th, 2017.
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