For me today’s most disturbing news is the refusal of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) to fund the 14 billion Diamer-Bhasha dam project. While conveying their inability to oblige Pakistan on this project, the officials of the ADB have called for ‘governance’ reforms to encourage private investment and equitable growth for all Pakistan.
This is the lead story of DAWN today i.e the 27th of October 2016. I will not go into the details of this highly ominous news, but it is quite abundantly clear that the decision of the ADB completely negates the claims of our rulers and policy-makers that Pakistan has been put on the road to a future of high prosperity and exemplary progress through sheer ‘good governance’ and productive ‘money management’.
The lesser I write about our ‘good governance’ the better. In my view Rana Sanaullah is the ultimate face of our governance.
As for money-management, today’s newspapers are flooded with accusing statements and counter-assaults related to mind-boggling corruption.
Imran Khan has charged Mian Shahbaz Sharif of having siphoned off Rs 26 billion & fifty-five crore, from four projects deals through his front man Javed Sadiq.
Such has been the sting of this ‘charge’ that Mian Shahbaz Sharif lost no time in holding a fire-breathing press conference and announcing that he was sending Imran Khan, a notice of damages for exactly the same amount he was accused of stealing.
Whether or not this allegation has any legs to stand upon, the bitter fact remains that Pakistan is among the world’s most notorious countries in the area of corruption and plunder.
The stubborn refusal of our Prime Minister to come clean on the charges of corruption and money-laundering made public worldwide through Panama Papers, has virtually put a stamp of credibility on those charges.
That Pakistan is ruled by two most affluent and financially growing political families in the world is not an unrevealed secret. Asif Ali Zardari heads one family. And Mian Nawaz Sharif heads the other. Between them they have distributed power in the country in a way that they simply cannot be dislodged politically. Quite clearly they control all the state institutions, which they have virtually hand-picked. The only institution that is an exception is the Army. And it is on the hit-list. As is Imran Khan, the ‘Rogue Politician’ who is challenging the might of Rome.
The next few days or weeks are going to decide the fate of this country. Who will win? The Plunderers or the Plundered?
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