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Prohibited funding case
The ECP announced the verdict in the prohibited funding (in-)famously known as foreign funding) case against the PTI on Tuesday. ECP unanimously ruled that the party received funds from business tycoon Arif Naqvi and from 34 foreign citizens including Indian, Israeli, British and Americans. ECP verdict further revealed that the PTI also received massive funds from foreign companies based in Europe and America.
The case was filed by Akbar S Babar, a founder member of PTI. Ironically, the PTI’s course over the past eight years was highly regrettable as the party did not cooperate with the authorities during the hearing as well as in the investigation of the case. According to the reports, the PTI refused to divulge details of large transactions, got postponed the case multiple times through stay orders and pressured the ECP and Chief Election Commissioner in a bid to stop the announcement of the decision. After the announcement of the verdict, the PTI refused to accept the decision and vowed to challenge in the higher courts.
In fact, the PTI Prohibited Funding Case is not a minor misappropriation of an individual, wrongdoing or an unintentional mistake but it is a series of events spread over the past one and a half decades when the party started collecting donations within the country and abroad, and the money started pouring into the PTI’s accounts in multiple banks, being operated by several party leaders in the Centre and provinces. It would be better if the PTI would have amended its policy in the beginning when several party leaders including Akbar S Ahmed and Justice (retired) Wajih-ud-din sensitized the party leadership about the fiscal and legal havoc being made by the party with the national laws.
Interestingly, the party leadership failed to assess the gravity of the situation and severity of the offense even after a case had been filed against the party in 2014. Apparently, the nation had been betrayed, the law violated and an offense was committed and defended by a political party for years. Hence, the law should take its course, the ECP, the government as well as the Supreme Court must fulfil their constitutional obligations for an early and logical conclusion of the case to serve justice to the nation.
MUNAWAR SIDDIQUI
Lahore
Wrong focus
One cannot deny the fact that Balochistan is the richest province of Pakistan in term of natural resources that include gold, copper, coal, oil, etc. But, unfortunately, it has handed over to a very inefficient government which is not able to run it properly. Education system is in pathetic condition and mostly people are living their life below the poverty line because of the government’s wrong focus.
For instance, the provincial government has closed schools for 15 days due to expected heavy rainfall fall in the coming days. It is not the right decision which they have taken. Instead, the government must ensure the rescue machines and basic facilities for the people to fight the flood/rain.
Students have already lost a lot of time during coronavirus period. Rains are natural things, they can come at any time, but we must not run away, we must face them, otherwise, students have to face consequences for their no fault but for the government’s wrong decision. At the end, l want to urge the provisional government to reopen schools and take urgent steps to save everyone from the expected heavy rainfall.
DIN MUHAMMAD
Hirronk Kech
Down with ego, rise over self
Too very tough and rough and ask and so very difficult and daunting a task it is to even think of or ponder over the so very dire need of the hour calling “Down with ego, rise over self “. What a horrendous and magnanimous challenge to the grace and dignity of our leaders and statesmen, if any!
As such, why, when, how and where trend-setters are so very rampantly stubborn on vanities, obstinate on values, procrastinate on promises, the net result nose-dive ominously minus zero amid vociferous alarms of sheer helplessness over the dim, dull, dreary, dampened, if not dark horizon.
How such so very leaderless and rudderless crises leave helpless and hapless masses and followers in a lurch with the bowl of the commoners begging to save them from soaring and roaring unbridled and uncontrollable inflation, poverty, hunger, disease, law and order situation indeed?!
Ray of hope at the end of the tunnel may sense, sound and seem idealism, if not labelled as fantastic, sarcastic and bombastic! Amid dreads and facts of the dark and stark reality 0of our bewitched and bewildered political scenario and with none and nothing to lose, how about eulogizing!
Please do imagine, eulogize, fantasize, with nothing and none to risk, WE, over and above back-biting, infighting, leg-pulling, mud-slinging, nationwide to worldwide, natural ONE FAMILY of sharing and caring, comprising grandparents, parents, children and grandchildren.
Nothing like one Allah-made, original and natural bond and affinity, nation-wide and world-wide, head of family, symbol and model of guidance and help for the family before insights and instincts of craftiness and cunningness surface and nurture to corruption and disruption.
Whichever the utopia and whatever the idealism, one thing is for sure; the adolescent side of a leader or statesman desperately needs to grow into emotional maturity, penetrative thinking and seriousness of purpose. If the status quo is not changed from the child-mindset of a would-be leader followers like today go astray, hoodwinked and exploited to untold miseries, agonies and sufferings amid vociferous alarms of helplessness.
PARVEZ JAMIL
Canada
