In November 2014 two posts titled ‘Mining in a Minefield of Corruption’ had exposed the alleged corruption in the KPK mining department. The second post stated quote more than a dozen leading Chinese firms interested in investing in KPK in Mining and Hydel sectors have decided not to invest in KPK. The same was reportedly communicated to Imran Khan during the recent visit of the Chinese Ambassador to Bani Gala unquote.
I had also posted a 3 page letter from a Chinese firm addressed to the Director, Anti-Corruption KPK dated July 23, 2014, accusing the Mining Department of demanding quote under a deal of 3 (three) crore Rupees and 15 % shares in net profit unquote. The revelations were labeled by PTI leaders as another witch hunt by someone out on a vendetta.
Interestingly, the arrest of the KPK mining minister is being hailed by the PTI spin masters as a first by any government. Fair enough. Never mind it was only yesterday that the same spin masters were claiming that PTI KPK government is corruption free.
More importantly, the arrest of a PTI Stalwart with deep links to the PTI underworld thriving in the crevices of the PTI Central Office and in Bani Gala must be a worrying thought for the top PTI leadership despite their poker faced initial reaction. If the PTI minister under arrest starts singing, he is capable of unravelling the entire PTI power structure like a house of cards.
First and foremost the Mining Minister is only one amongst several equals who stand accused of mega corruption in KPK. Incriminating evidence has repeatedly been shown to Imran Khan about his delinquent ministers evoking no serious action. So if the PTI leadership is not serious about controlling corruption, how could a sitting minister be arrested by an accountability commission established under a law enacted by the PTI government? The question merits a serous answer.
To understand, a brief analogy with Honorable Justice Wajih’s election tribunal is in order. The PTI election tribunal was established to investigate and adjudicate on corruption and other malpractices during intra party elections. But once the Tribunal demanded serious action on its recommendations, the PTI establishment went into overdrive to dissolve it as the major culprits included the top leadership. It is now clear that the Tribunal was a mere window dressing exercise and not meant to eradicate the cancer of corruption and other malpractices from PTI.
Similarly, it makes political sense to establish an accountability commission in KPK. But the real test of the PTI leadership’s commitment to eliminate corruption would emerge once probes deepen exposing the corrupt money trail of the PTI ministers from Peshawar to their Chief Patrons in the PTI Central Office and Bani Gala. After all who would want to end up in jail for good without spilling the beans after doling out brand new land cruisers, BMWs, mining leases for white and black gold including priceless gifts such as a white thorough bred mare to the queen lady of the time in return for a party ticket?
The track record so far shows that when put to the test, the RTI Act was made toothless and attempts continue to make the PTI Election Tribunal dysfunctional. But the fact remains that a sitting minister has been arrested on corruption allegations signifying that there is a serious force behind the accountability drive? Who could it be and for what purpose?
The KPK Accountability Commission is headed by a retired General, once a soldier always a soldier. Our chief patrons these days, the Chinese are reportedly fed up with rampant corruption and disorder along the planned corridor of happiness. They appear to be the major inspiration behind rooting out the bad guys as a pre-condition to dole the scores of billions to be invested in Pakistan. With so much at stake, legal sanction or no legal sanction, what has to be done shall be done is the new dictum flowing from the perennial fountain of power in Pakistan. So even if the rangers had lost their legal mandate to operate in Karachi last night, they would still have operated today.
In struggling societies, power always flows from the barrel of the gun. With so much at stake, the present guns and the gunners appear determined to turn a new leaf with or without legal sanction, so help them God
Source
I had also posted a 3 page letter from a Chinese firm addressed to the Director, Anti-Corruption KPK dated July 23, 2014, accusing the Mining Department of demanding quote under a deal of 3 (three) crore Rupees and 15 % shares in net profit unquote. The revelations were labeled by PTI leaders as another witch hunt by someone out on a vendetta.
Interestingly, the arrest of the KPK mining minister is being hailed by the PTI spin masters as a first by any government. Fair enough. Never mind it was only yesterday that the same spin masters were claiming that PTI KPK government is corruption free.
More importantly, the arrest of a PTI Stalwart with deep links to the PTI underworld thriving in the crevices of the PTI Central Office and in Bani Gala must be a worrying thought for the top PTI leadership despite their poker faced initial reaction. If the PTI minister under arrest starts singing, he is capable of unravelling the entire PTI power structure like a house of cards.
First and foremost the Mining Minister is only one amongst several equals who stand accused of mega corruption in KPK. Incriminating evidence has repeatedly been shown to Imran Khan about his delinquent ministers evoking no serious action. So if the PTI leadership is not serious about controlling corruption, how could a sitting minister be arrested by an accountability commission established under a law enacted by the PTI government? The question merits a serous answer.
To understand, a brief analogy with Honorable Justice Wajih’s election tribunal is in order. The PTI election tribunal was established to investigate and adjudicate on corruption and other malpractices during intra party elections. But once the Tribunal demanded serious action on its recommendations, the PTI establishment went into overdrive to dissolve it as the major culprits included the top leadership. It is now clear that the Tribunal was a mere window dressing exercise and not meant to eradicate the cancer of corruption and other malpractices from PTI.
Similarly, it makes political sense to establish an accountability commission in KPK. But the real test of the PTI leadership’s commitment to eliminate corruption would emerge once probes deepen exposing the corrupt money trail of the PTI ministers from Peshawar to their Chief Patrons in the PTI Central Office and Bani Gala. After all who would want to end up in jail for good without spilling the beans after doling out brand new land cruisers, BMWs, mining leases for white and black gold including priceless gifts such as a white thorough bred mare to the queen lady of the time in return for a party ticket?
The track record so far shows that when put to the test, the RTI Act was made toothless and attempts continue to make the PTI Election Tribunal dysfunctional. But the fact remains that a sitting minister has been arrested on corruption allegations signifying that there is a serious force behind the accountability drive? Who could it be and for what purpose?
The KPK Accountability Commission is headed by a retired General, once a soldier always a soldier. Our chief patrons these days, the Chinese are reportedly fed up with rampant corruption and disorder along the planned corridor of happiness. They appear to be the major inspiration behind rooting out the bad guys as a pre-condition to dole the scores of billions to be invested in Pakistan. With so much at stake, legal sanction or no legal sanction, what has to be done shall be done is the new dictum flowing from the perennial fountain of power in Pakistan. So even if the rangers had lost their legal mandate to operate in Karachi last night, they would still have operated today.
In struggling societies, power always flows from the barrel of the gun. With so much at stake, the present guns and the gunners appear determined to turn a new leaf with or without legal sanction, so help them God
Source
