Action against corruption: Opposition pays glowing tribute to Rangers

Post-budget session dominated by speeches criticising govt’s corrupt practices

KARACHI:

Members of the opposition benches in the Sindh Assembly - with the exception of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) - applauded the Rangers, the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) and the army for taking action against corrupt ministers, bureaucrats, government employees and individuals who have looted and plundered public money.

During the session on Friday, lawmakers of the Pakistan Muslim League - Functional (PML-F) and Pakistan Muslim League - Nawaz (PML-N) saluted the Rangers and the NAB on their bold stand against the corrupt people sitting in the corridors of power. "Rs2 billion have been recovered from the house of a serving minister and two Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leaders, Syed Ali Mardan Shah and Pir Mazharul Haq, have been granted pre-arrest interim bail in corruption cases. This shows the intent of the government being run by the PPP in Sindh," said PML-F MPA Nusrat Seher Abbasi.

The session was summoned for the post-budget debate, but Abbasi hardly spoke on the subject. Her entire speech focused on criticising the government, its leaders and cabinet members. She said that the Sindh government's ministers were fascinated by huge funds, not for development, but to grease their palms and fill their pockets.  Referring to the raids and arrests of officials involved in corruption, she said, "Sultan Qamar Siddiqui, the vice-chairperson of the fishermen cooperative society, has confessed that 70 per cent of the black money he earned through various means was given to Bilawal House."



Regarding Mumtaz Zardari, the town municipal officer of Sujawal district, she said: "Mumtaz Zardari has embezzled around Rs1 billion. The amount was supposed to be utilised on development schemes. We want to know who Mumtaz Zardari is and on whose behest he has minted the huge amount."

The PML-F MPA also referred to the arrest of Muhammad Ali Shaikh, who is said to be a close aide of PPP leaders. "Shaikh has also revealed many things before the NAB. We are happy because 103 corrupt officials and influential people in the government have gone into hiding and are trying to get their pre-arrest bail," she said. Abbasi recalled the chief minister's first speech in 2008, when he had announced that the PPP-led government would promote good governance and stand up against corruption. "But now it looks like the provincial government's main motive is 'bad governance', corruption and nepotism."

PML-N MPA and former chief minister Liaquat Jatoi also appreciated the role of the law enforcement agencies and the crackdown against corrupt officials.  "Those people are crying against the army and Rangers who have looted and plundered Sindh. We demand action against these corrupt officers and their mentors," he said.

Speaking about the budget, Jatoi said that a huge budget had been allocated for health and education, but the performance of these both departments was 'zero'.  "There is no medicine at public hospitals in Benazir Bhutto's hometown, Larkana, where people are protesting against the doctors," he said.

Administrative anarchy

MQM's Waqar Shah diverted the attention of the house towards the administrative anarchy in the newly-created Korangi district. "Even after the passage of two years, there is a dispute over the district's boundaries," he said, adding that the Malir DC and Korangi DC had not yet determined the clear limits of their areas. "People are confused about where they should go to resolve their issues."

PPP responds

PPP's Imdad Pitafi, in his speech, advised the opposition members to stop staging dramas of corruption. "You have always supported dictators and looted the assets of Sindh. Now you are acting innocent."

Samar Ali Khan, the parliamentary leader of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, stressed the need for a 'revolutionary budget' by minimising the expenditure and collecting more taxes. "The condition of people living in various parts of Sindh is worse than animals, but no tangible efforts are being taken to improve it," he said. Later, the speaker adjourned the session till Saturday (today).

Published in The Express Tribune, June 19^th, 2015.