LAHORE: The decision by the executive committee of NAB to probe alleged financial irregularities amounting to one million dollars of the US taxpayers’ money by the Rafi Peer Theatre group reflects the priorities of the investigative body. It is a welcome move, but will NAB order a probe into other irregularities amounting to billions of dollars of the Pakistani taxpayers’ money that is unaccounted for or has been misused?
Pakistan’s economy and industry are stagnant because of the energy crisis and the deteriorating condition of our infrastructure, especially of our airline, railways and public transport system. Why isn’t NAB not carrying out probes into the activities of public officeholders that have brought the economy to a breaking point? Why isn’t it carrying out investigations into the misuse of the so-called discretionary funds and powers by our public officeholders, such as the donation from the taxpayers’ kitty to a shrine located in India or the alleged hiring of escorts by VVIPs on their foreign tours paid for by the state funds, as well as allotment of state-owned land to servants of the state for performing services for which they are paid. NAB does not seem to be bothered by this state of affairs. What purpose does this body serve, I wonder?
Malik Tariq Ali
Published in The Express Tribune, August 31st, 2012.
