ISLAMABAD:
The gearing up of FIA to probe financial matters of Dr Tahirul Qadri is a
case of political victimisation as this initiative was not taken by the
government as a routine matter but following the recent launch of
anti-government campaign by Qadri.
There may have been some dubious dealing on part of the PAT Chief but the initiation of investigations against Dr Qadri by the FIA at this stage speaks volumes about how the state institutions are still used as tools for political gains of the rulers.
The tax matters and financial dealings of many political figures including cabinet members, MPs, opposition leaders and others are doubtful but hardly in any case during the last one year of the present government’s tenure, the FIA has moved against any bigwig of Pakistani politics.
The FIA is one of the leading state agency that besides doing other jobs has also been mandated the role of checking corruption.However, after the creation of National Accountability Bureau, the FIA hardly did any major anti-corruption work. Instead, because of massive corruption, incompetency and politicisation of the FIA; the need for the creation of NAB was felt.
In its official website, the FIA defines its “Vision” as “A law enforcement agency which not only enjoys respect of the society, for its integrity, professional competence, and impartiality but also serves as a role model for provincial police forces.” However, in reality it continues to be used as a tool for political gains of the rulers.It is said that after the recent emergence of Dr Tahirul Qadri as an anti-government voice, the FIA all of a sudden woke up to initiate a probe into the financial matters of the PAT Moulana. Not only the details of money transferred by the PAT chief during recent years were collected but his tax matters and bank accounts were also probed.
Of late the FIA has approached the Election Commission of Pakistan to get Qadri’s nomination paper along with the details of his assets as were submitted by him while contesting the 2002 elections for the National Assembly. It is believed that the information gathered by the FIA is quite convincing to proceed against Qadri, however, there is no explanation as to why only Qadri and not others, and why at this point of time.
The recent killings at Model Town Lahore was also the consequence of the government’s drive to remove illegal encroachments of Minhjul Quran. The authorities were confronted by the Qadri followers, which led to a bloody clash between the two and culminated in the killing of more than 10 persons.
In that case too, the authorities decided to remove the years old encroachments of Minhajul Quran only at this time when Qadri emerged in a confrontational mood against the government.
It is suspected that Qadri is playing someone else’s game to derail the system but the dealings of Lahore municipal and police authorities as well as that of the FIA show the extent of the politicisation of the institutions.
Because of the politicisation, systems here have become non-responsive to general violators and corrupt etc. Any action taken is as per the wishes and whims of the rulers.All these proceedings against Qadri could be justified only if other influential tax evaders, money launderers, encroachers etc are also proceeded against.
Circles close to the federal government, requesting anonymity, told The News that it was wrong to assume that Dr Qadri was being singled out. They said that institutions like FIA could only proceed upon availability of some solid evidence and facts which, in the instant case, surfaced during recent active demonstration by him.
They said that the government institutions are working independently to their full capacity. The PML-N government and its Finance Minister Ishaq Dar had brought many members of the parliament into the tax net, the added.
Besides, they said, that the FBR was in action against private parties in cases of tax evasion and other financial issues and the same had also been reported by media. Two former prime ministers had also been proceeded against by the NAB.
Therefore the impression of sparing the influential figures and singling Dr Qadri out was incorrect, the circles maintained. The said that the government has hardly completed a year in office and its achievements on the issues mentioned above are unparalleled, they concluded.
There may have been some dubious dealing on part of the PAT Chief but the initiation of investigations against Dr Qadri by the FIA at this stage speaks volumes about how the state institutions are still used as tools for political gains of the rulers.
The tax matters and financial dealings of many political figures including cabinet members, MPs, opposition leaders and others are doubtful but hardly in any case during the last one year of the present government’s tenure, the FIA has moved against any bigwig of Pakistani politics.
The FIA is one of the leading state agency that besides doing other jobs has also been mandated the role of checking corruption.However, after the creation of National Accountability Bureau, the FIA hardly did any major anti-corruption work. Instead, because of massive corruption, incompetency and politicisation of the FIA; the need for the creation of NAB was felt.
In its official website, the FIA defines its “Vision” as “A law enforcement agency which not only enjoys respect of the society, for its integrity, professional competence, and impartiality but also serves as a role model for provincial police forces.” However, in reality it continues to be used as a tool for political gains of the rulers.It is said that after the recent emergence of Dr Tahirul Qadri as an anti-government voice, the FIA all of a sudden woke up to initiate a probe into the financial matters of the PAT Moulana. Not only the details of money transferred by the PAT chief during recent years were collected but his tax matters and bank accounts were also probed.
Of late the FIA has approached the Election Commission of Pakistan to get Qadri’s nomination paper along with the details of his assets as were submitted by him while contesting the 2002 elections for the National Assembly. It is believed that the information gathered by the FIA is quite convincing to proceed against Qadri, however, there is no explanation as to why only Qadri and not others, and why at this point of time.
The recent killings at Model Town Lahore was also the consequence of the government’s drive to remove illegal encroachments of Minhjul Quran. The authorities were confronted by the Qadri followers, which led to a bloody clash between the two and culminated in the killing of more than 10 persons.
In that case too, the authorities decided to remove the years old encroachments of Minhajul Quran only at this time when Qadri emerged in a confrontational mood against the government.
It is suspected that Qadri is playing someone else’s game to derail the system but the dealings of Lahore municipal and police authorities as well as that of the FIA show the extent of the politicisation of the institutions.
Because of the politicisation, systems here have become non-responsive to general violators and corrupt etc. Any action taken is as per the wishes and whims of the rulers.All these proceedings against Qadri could be justified only if other influential tax evaders, money launderers, encroachers etc are also proceeded against.
Circles close to the federal government, requesting anonymity, told The News that it was wrong to assume that Dr Qadri was being singled out. They said that institutions like FIA could only proceed upon availability of some solid evidence and facts which, in the instant case, surfaced during recent active demonstration by him.
They said that the government institutions are working independently to their full capacity. The PML-N government and its Finance Minister Ishaq Dar had brought many members of the parliament into the tax net, the added.
Besides, they said, that the FBR was in action against private parties in cases of tax evasion and other financial issues and the same had also been reported by media. Two former prime ministers had also been proceeded against by the NAB.
Therefore the impression of sparing the influential figures and singling Dr Qadri out was incorrect, the circles maintained. The said that the government has hardly completed a year in office and its achievements on the issues mentioned above are unparalleled, they concluded.
