Clean getaway

Civilian politicians have faced the brunt of blame for corrupt practices, men who wear uniform have largely escaped.

While civilian politicians have faced the brunt of blame for corrupt practices of all kinds, men who wear uniform have largely escaped. Some have made it a point to stress that the military is a ‘clean’ institution, with few stains on its reputation. While many people believe this to be the case, evidence exists quite to the contrary.

Some of it has been put before the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) which has been told of two retired generals who, while serving in the National Logistics Cell (NLC), generously extended a loan of Rs75 million to a defunct private power company. The generals were not asked any questions and the loan was not returned. In the past, evidence was offered to the PAC about a Rs4 billion scam in the NLC by three military officers who borrowed money from banks and then invested it in stocks. They lost much of the amount. Dozens of luxury vehicles have been acquired by the NLC at huge costs and are now being driven by junior army officers.

It is vital that these scams be fully investigated. The ‘no go’ areas we have constructed makes it exceedingly hard to eradicate corruption. This conclusion has already been reached by people who, as heads of the National Accountability Bureau or in other capacities, have attempted to tackle corruption. The citizens of Pakistan expect the military to cooperate fully in this matter. Patriotism demands that anyone found guilty of looting state money be brought to book, to set a precedent for the future. The Pakistan Army would do well to blaze the trail in this respect and set the right example by acting against dishonesty. By doing so, they would win the respect of citizens and prove that, as an institution, the military is truly committed to serving the country and its people.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 5^th, 2010.