The incredulous thing to consider in this case is that this man, who actively engaged in a fraud, and who only confessed and agreed to pay up after he was close to being prosecuted in the Supreme Court, will, in effect, be let off free because he agreed to a plea bargain. But should someone who embezzles such a large amount, and who by his own admission is guilty, be let off without a court trial? To what extent do plea bargains apply? Has the culture of corruption become so pervasive that we consider Rs5.8 billion a small amount? In any other country, a member of parliament who did such a thing would not just have had to pay back the amount in full, he would be disqualified and barred from public office and face a court trial and, quite possibly, a stiff prison sentence. It is ironic that the MNA is a member of the PML-N, which wastes no opportunity in pointing fingers at the ruling PPP, accusing it of corruption.
The entire drama of ‘confess and return the billions and you will be let off scot-free’ is reminiscent of several controversial cases dating back to General Pervez Musharraf’s rule, when even a former naval chief was let off after he agreed to a plea bargain. At the very least, his own party needs to expel him and the Election Commission should act on its own and unseat and disqualify the legislator. This will set a good precedent and could prevent other would-be members of parliament from indulging in such unethical and criminal actions. In addition to this, the system whereby those accused of major financial crimes are allowed to accept guilty pleas in exchange for returning the money embezzled, with no provision for jail time, needs to be reviewed.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 25th, 2011.
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