In the background of the chaotic controversy surrounding the Panama Papers Leak, the Army Chief General Raheel Sharif on Tuesday has called for “across-the-board accountability” in the country and has emphatically declared that no stability and progress can be secured until corruption is rooted out. He has vowed to back all efforts in the direction of waging a war on corruption.
This statement is unprecedented in the sense that it has come in the wake of the Prime Minister’s visible efforts to avoid any probe into the shocking revelations made in the Panama Papers, and of his family’s mutually contradicting explanations. In fact the General’s statement goes far beyond the scope of the Panama Papers which cover the periods preceding the present tenure of office of the PML (N). The General is clearly talking about the current scenario as well.
And quite understandably so. Corruption of the yesteryears was terrible. But much worse can be the consequences of the ongoing corruption.
The PTI Chief Imran Khan has thrown his support behind the Army Chief’s call.
In retaliation to IK’s crusade against Corruption, PM has hinted at a probe into the funds collected by Imran Khan. Even though it doesn’t make much sense as IK has not collected funds through Prime Ministerial authority, nor has he plundered the national treasury having at no time exercised that kind of authority. Yet it will be a wonderful idea that all the three key leaders— namely Mian Nawaz Sharif, Asif Ali Zardari and Imran Khan are made to submit to a detailed financial probe by a body headed by the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court and aided by ISI, MI and any firm of international repute that specializes in the matters related to the movement of money.
Imran Khan has already announced his readiness to accept such a probe in Shaukat Khanum Memorial Trust as well as his personal finances. Now it is the Prime Minister’s turn (as well as of Mr Zardari) to come forward and say yes to such a Probe.
Otherwise the Nation will be justified in asking the Army Chief to leave the verbal statements behind, and make good the promise he has made.
