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Pakistan needs anti-corruption drive, and fast

Dynastic attitude is the modus operandi and leaders are least bothered about institutional development.

Politics in Pakistan is on the brink of an abyss. Political parties, by virtue of their ad hoc policies, have ruined themselves. They failed to develop a culture of harmony with the people and among themselves.
In Pakistan, most political parties do not go through an internal election process. The flimsy exercise that is often held is no more than an eyewash. Dynastic attitude is the modus operandi and leaders are least bothered about institutional development. There is no accountability, while access to easy money is aplenty. The ensuing result has adversely impacted national politics. This has not only liquidated the role of civil society, but has also given mileage to the military and religion to make inroads. Even as the Pakistan army is waiting in the wings, the zealots are busy plotting alliances to make their presence felt.
The common man in Pakistan has had enough. Hence the most popular and engaging issue right now is the anti-corruption stride which has placed all and sundry on tenterhooks. The nation wants accountability, and any effort to dispense justice by recovering the looted wealth enjoys unparalleled support. The Panama Leaks and the Paradise Papers - which list hundreds of families of Pakistan for siphoning off their billions offshore - is just the tip of the iceberg. Corruption and embezzlement practices are deep-rooted. In fact, an absence of constitutional writ and rule of law have led to rampant corruption and abuse of power. In actuality, there is no institution in Pakistan that is free from corruption.
What is happening in the country today is transgression of power and an undeniable link between crime and politics. There are thousands of cases of corruption in the courts of law awaiting to see the light of the day. But that could be the tale of any developing country with weak institutions, but what puts Pakistan in the spotlight is that the military and the judiciary enjoy greater respect than the parliament and the executive. The latter is blamed for inaction and despotism. For the first time in history, the army is not interested in taking over the reigns of power. The judiciary is now at the helm of the cleansing process - by default. It is exercising its right of judicial review and taking up cases pertaining to misuse of power and corruption. A departure from the power politics of Pakistan, the judiciary is asserting itself independently, and shady characters are in a fix. The Supreme Court disqualified former prime minister Nawaz Sharif from holding public office after a hearing of the Panama Papers. Many more public figures are in the line of fire. Anti-corruption bodies are acting independently - finally.
With Pakistan reeling under an international debt of $88 billion dollars, and its foreign exchange reserves drying up, the country's geopolitical and economic security is in a precarious position. Trillions of dollars of embezzled wealth is parked offshore; the nation needs it back. Terror activities and a failing government are not helping the situation, neither are the zealots in Islamabad who recently staged a 21-day sit-in.
The establishment is left with few options if the 220 million people are to survive. Number one is to clamp down on corruption by conducting an impartial across-the-board accountability, and to recover the looted wealth. Number two is to crush militancy without differentiating between good and bad terrorists; and three is to restore the sanctity of the vote by empowering an independent electoral process. The task at this point rests with the judiciary, which could exercise its powers. The Army would be better advised to stay put in the barracks. The state has to be put on an auto-correction mode.
 mehkri@khaleejtimes.com