Leaping forward
May 19th, 2012
After a period of what seemed like absolute dormancy, the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has suddenly sprung into action initiating an inquiry against the Sharif brothers in a money laundering case, worth $32 million, dating back to the 1990s. The brothers will also be investigated for a case in which they allegedly took bank loans worth some Rs4.9 billion for the same period. This is not the only spurt of hyperactivity from the Bureau. After a meeting with General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani, NAB Chief Admiral (Retd) Fasih Bokhari has ordered a probe into the National Logistic Cell (NLC) scandal, while simultaneously setting up investigation charges against two sitting federal ministers from Balochistan.
No doubt, it is good news that corruption, which has plagued deep into the system, is finally being investigated. However, one wonders why these cases were not taken up earlier, especially since the Bureau was aware of their existence. Given the present strained relations between the PPP and the PML-N, the latter will certainly sound out the familiar cry of victimisation, which has been heard multiple times before; both in the context of NAB and other accountability bodies, such as the Ehtehsab Bureau which ran under the Sharif brothers. In fact, this has been an important reason why previous attempts to investigate corruption cases have failed repeatedly and as a result, accountability bodies have earned little or no credibility.
Comments made by President Asif Ali Zardari to practise total impartiality in the NLC scandal, further strengthens belief that this will most likely not be the case this time around. This is rather unfortunate since there is no denying that we need accountability. Corruption and money laundering by officials has corroded the system and brought our nation on the brink of collapse. We also need able bodies that can stand above politics and victimisation. This is where we have failed repeatedly on previous occasions. The sudden spurt of activity by NAB is already under scrutiny. For this reason it is vital that it be carried out in a manner which is transparent and impartial so there is no finger-pointing.
Rupert Murdoch’s fate
May 19th, 2012
In a cautionary tale for media barons around the world, the continued crumbling of Rupert Murdoch’s empire only gathered pace with his trusted lieutenant Rebekah Brooks facing criminal charges over the phone-hacking scandal. Despite all his wealth and power, Murdoch has not been able to get away with the rampant lawbreaking that seemed to be an inherent part of the culture at News Corp and a parliamentary committee has even declared him unfit to head the company. At the centre of the investigations into the phone-hacking scandal has been the Leveson Inquiry, which has questioned Murdoch and other executives in a public inquiry that has been televised.
For years, Murdoch was able to keep the bloodhounds at bay, thanks to the influence he had over the political elite. Now, however, politicians are turning against Murdoch in droves. This is partly due to the public nature of the Leveson Inquiry. Seeing the evasiveness of Murdoch on live television surely turned public opinion against him as did revelations of just how close he was to politicians of every stripe and ideology. Particularly damning was the testimony of Sir Harold Evans, who served as editor under Murdoch for a year after he took over The Times of London. Evans painted the portrait of a controlling, conniving liar who could not possibly have been unaware of the shenanigans taking place under his watch.
There are lessons to be learned here for Pakistan, too. We are currently in the midst of two vital inquiries: the ones looking into the Abbottabad raid and the memogate commission. Both these commissions are dealing with matters of national interest but, likely through lethargy, they seem to have made very little progress. Bringing them under the glare of television spotlights — as has been the case with the Leveson Inquiry — may speed up the process. It would also ensure that witnesses have even greater incentive to tell the truth, knowing that the public is watching. Even Murdoch’s influence has not been enough to save him; now we should give our own sacred cows the same treatment.
Accidents in the air
May 19th, 2012
The collision of two Pakistan Air Force (PAF) aircraft in Nowshera that killed all four pilots on board raises serious questions about the safety of the PAF’s fleet. Not only was this the second incident in a week, it was also the sixth in the last seven months where PAF aircraft have suffered serious accidents. After all this unnecessary loss of life, now may be the time to seriously address safety concerns about our ageing fleet. Due to sanctions placed by the US for much of the 1990s, the PAF fleet is mostly made up of local and Chinese aircraft. Some of the aircraft that precede the 1990s, such as the Mirage, are more than 30 years old. In the case of the Mirage, the PAF has to keep the aircraft operational even though production of some components ceased many years ago because it is now part of our nuclear deterrent. And indeed, it was a Mirage that crashed near Karachi earlier this week while on a routine mission.
In 2004, Pakistan bought 50 Mirage planes and a huge quantity of spare parts from the Libyan government, making it the world’s largest operator of Mirage aircraft. However, the Libyan military had been in considerable disarray when sanctions were imposed after the Lockerbie bombing and so it is unclear just how well-maintained and safe these aircraft are. In recent years, thanks to the resumption of sales from the US, the PAF has been able to update its fleet with the C-130E Hercules and F-16 fighter jets but many of the older aircraft are still in use and safety will continue to be a major issue.
It is not enough that the PAF be operationally-ready; it owes it to its pilots and other servicemen that the aircraft be as safe as possible. This means regular checks and an assurance that no shortcuts will be taken in maintaining the aircraft. With such a patchy safety record at present, servicemen will be filled with doubts when they use aircraft in PAF’s fleet. This fear and doubt is likely to impact their performance in the skies. Therefore, for purely tactical reasons, ensuring safety should become the number one priority for the PAF.