Accountability for all?

There’s a strong perception that it is mainly opposition that is the target of accountability drive

Another leading opposition figure — in fact, a former prime minister — has joined his many ‘corrupt’ colleagues in prison. Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, who had been Pakistan’s chief executive for about 10 months from August 1, 2017 onwards, was taken into NAB custody on Thursday for his alleged involvement in suspected irregularities over the import of LNG from Qatar.

Abbasi is “accused of commission of the offence of corruption and corrupt practices” in the multibillion-dollar deal. The warrant for arrest of Miftah Ismail, another notable PML-N leader and a former finance minister, as well as PSO’s former managing director Sheikh Imranul Haque have also been issued, though Miftah has availed himself a protective bail. In the same case, incarcerated PM Nawaz Sharif is also accused of misusing authority by “awarding the contract of LNG terminal to 15 companies of choice”.

With just one case having the potential to take so many high-profile opposition figures to task, no surprise why Sheikh Rashid had — some 18 months back — moved the Supreme Court for action, and then approached NAB after the top court had dismissed his plea. But what does come up as a surprise is why there had been no NAB action in the case until now.

What is it that NAB had been waiting for even though its executive board had authorised a probe in January this year? Does Abbasi’s confident take on the matter offer any answer? The former PM has time and again said that he had not committed any illegality in the award of contracts for LNG import and could prove his innocence at any forum. He maintains that the import of LNG was the need of the hour in 2013 when the country was facing an acute shortage of gas, and that he has but saved the country huge foreign exchange.

Abbasi may or may not be guilty in the case; it’s for the courts to decide. But there’s a strong perception that it is mainly the opposition that is the target of the ongoing accountability drive. That cases like those involving Peshawar’s BRT and Malam Jabba go unattended only serves to strengthen this perception.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 20^th, 2019.

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