Articles and letters may be edited for the purposes of clarity and space. They are published in good faith with a view to enlightening all the stakeholders. However, the contents of these writings may not necessarily match the views of the newspaper.
Nabbing
the NAB
Pakistan is definitely not a Banana Republic, nor should it be assumed to be one. This country is unique in a sense that it was created by a dynamic leader MAJ, through a political and constitutional struggle.
The Chairman NAB and numerous spokesmen associated with this organization created for accountability of public office holders have claimed recovery of Rs821 billion in 16 years since its inception.
If true, this recovery justifies the creation of this entity funded by tax payers and national exchequer.
However, the Ministry of Finance has revealed on 3rd November to a Senate Standing Committee on Finance that only Rs6.458 billion have been deposited in national treasury by NAB since it was created.
This gap of Rs814.54 billion is too wide to be ignored or accepted in a country facing a financial crunch so acute that the State is unable to fulfil its constitutional obligations of providing basic health, education and clean drinking water to vast majority that lives below the poverty line.
Where has this money gone is a question that baffles the imagination. This anomaly also raises doubts about the role of Auditor General of Pakistan and why the government auditors failed, or were not given access to the financial accounts of NAB.
Every government that has held power since NAB was created on November 16, 1999 must be held accountable for not putting in place financial firewalls to prevent any abuse by this powerful organization.
The SSC on Finance also asked the AG to inquire into the fate of BP190 million recovered from a property tycoon MR by UK National Crime Agency seizure of Unexplained Assets which were handed over to Pakistan Government in 2019 and how this amount landed in a Supreme Court account.
MALIK TARIQ ALI
Lahore
Life sans gratitude
The beauty of life is being dwindled over time due to living it sans gratitude. Although the era we live in is quite resourceful and rich material yet we have a grievance over gratitude.
The charismatic life becomes odious due to not paying applause to it and by living in superstitions, frustrations, fear of failures and so on.
Life is to not be tragic and full of tragedies but full of thankfulness, spirit and agility. The living worthy life must be recognised and let its scope not be dwindled because there is no substitute that matches life.
M KHAN BANGWAR
Kandhkot Sindh
Relief package
With continuous inflation for the past few years, one thought that finally with the announcement of the “Relief Package”, one will find some consolation; this happiness was short lived and our expectations from the incumbent government went down the drain. With increase in inflation, it seems that we will be surviving on plants in the future.
The poverty stricken people have already been suffering and this so-called “Relief Package” has added more to their miseries.
However, the middle class family is the most under attack. Those without any assets and live on underpaid salaries have no where to go.
School fee is out of reach and students are unable to get admission; day to day items have gone out of reach with eggs and bread becoming more of a luxury item rather than a need. There is no relief in sight for the middle class who are being buried under the rubble of price hikes.
Families renting houses are being exploited by their land owners while increase in petrol price has also made car services expensive as well especially for those who own no cars or their own properties.
It is unfortunate that with no change in salaries, these people are stranded. The relief package was not a relief, but a cause of panic attacks for the middle class families with no back up.
IFRAH SHAHBAZ
Islamabad
TTP a new threat for Pakistan
After the re-emergence of the Afghan Taliban, Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) has staged a gradual comeback in their former territories in Waziristan, the rugged tribal region bordering Afghanistan by carrying out targeted killings, attacking Pakistani security forces and kidnapping government officials.
TTP has been emboldened by the return to power of the Taliban in Afghanistan. They are also preparing to retake control of the tribal regions that they lost nearly eight years ago in a major operation by Pakistan’s military. On the other hand, the government is also in talks with some groups of the banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) for “reconciliation” with the help of the Taliban in Afghanistan. Hence the question arises that despite carrying out a number of major terror attacks across Pakistan, is it possible to have negotiations with TTP.
RAJA FURQAN AHMED
Islamabad
Flaws of judiciary
Through your newspaper, I would like to draw the attention of the Government of Pakistan to a major social issue that has almost developed and taken roots in our country and that is the prevailing system of injustice in Pakistan, which undeniably is both exploitative and oppressive.
It is exploitative because it is unable to give the common man the basic rights that have been given to him in the Constitution of Pakistan. Justice is far from the reach of the poor and the weak.
This situation is in stark contrast with the injunctions of Islam and the principles of a welfare state which call for the inequitable distribution of every basic right like health, education and many others from the rich to the poor.
It is oppressive because it denies justice to the weak against the criminal excesses of the powerful in the society who can virtually get away with murder.
The elite of the society especially senior politicians, high ranking officers of the civilian bureaucracy and defence forces, feudal landlords and dishonest and unscrupulous officials of the judiciary are collectively responsible for this unhappy state of affairs.
The need of the hour is for urgent policy measures to rectify the situation and ensure that Pakistan turns into an Islamic welfare state in its true sense where justice is accessible to all, Where everyone has to face the law and justice, regardless of their authority, post and connections and social oppression of the poor and the weak come to an end, enabling them to lead their life with dignity, develop their God-given talent, and realize their potential.
M HAMID AYYOUB
Bahawalnagar
