Uprooting graft from all spheres

Far too many times we have seen slander being committed against individuals & institutions without substance or proof

Uneasy wears the head that defends corruption-tainted officials. And even if one ignores the risks and does so anyway, it’s probably best not to differentiate between different levels of corruption. Graft in any form or scale is still graft and will not undergo a property change if it is less or more. Inter Provincial Coordination (IPC) Minister Mian Riaz Hussain Pirzada did both and found himself stranded in an indefensible zone. His brave but pointless defence of Pakistan Sports Board’s director general Dr Akhtar Nawaz Ganjera, who was sacked over graft allegations earlier in the week, rested on the argument that far more serious corruption was going on elsewhere. And this is where things began to get murky and almost out of hand. The highly charged minister accused the prime minister’s principal secretary Fawad Hassan Fawad and the establishment division secretary, Syed Tahir, of being the source of corruption and other ills. His remarks came at a news conference in which the IPC minister also addressed PSB employees. Behind much of the rancour lies the suspicion that Mr Fawad masterminded the plot to remove Mr Ganjera – a hitherto unproven allegation. Mr Pirzada – who is also resentful of decisions being made about departments supervised by his ministry – has vowed to expose the plot once and for all. He has also threatened to step down in support of the ousted PBS chief.

Far too many times we have seen slander being committed against individuals and institutions without substance or proof. It really is unacceptable to lay charges against anyone and besmirch their name and discredit or vilify them in public – unless the same can be backed up in a court of law.

The prime minister who is currently weighed down by the controversy over his DawnLeaks order has to take some hard, unpopular decisions again. One should expect the prime minister to draw the line on corruption of any kind and of any scale and not resort to political appeasement at any stage between now and the time he chooses to set things right. Since the matter involves members of the PML-N and bureaucrats close to his own office, all the more care should be taken to ensure that graft is uprooted from whereever it had sprung.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 1^st, 2017.

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