Mohammad Jamil
MORAL degeneration occurs when conscientious
and good people choose to remain silent, and
tolerate presence of criminals amongst ruling elite and so-called proponents of human rights and civil society. Pakistan is faced with multi-dimensional crisis, and corruption is a part of the moral decline. It was because of loot and plunder by the ruling elite that a resourceful country like Pakistan has been brought to the present pass. One can find corrupt and those who commit demeanour of moral turpitude to a more or less degree in all political parties and sections of society; however, at present there are two news stories about PPP and PML-N leaders. A case has been filed by PPP Islamabad President in a district and sessions court in Islamabad against American blogger and writer Cynthia Ritchie pertaining to her allegations against Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leader late Benazir Bhutto. The court directed her to appear before the court on 09 June.
In a video broadcast live on Facebook the other day, Cynthia Ritchie also alleged that former Interior Minister Rehman Malik had raped her while two others had manhandled her at separate occasions. PPP senior leader and Senator Rehman Malik vehemently denied the rape allegations against him by US blogger Cynthia Ritchie, calling them baseless, shameful and inappropriate. Synthia also claimed that she received threats of rape from PPP social media activists in Pakistan and abroad. Cynthia Ritchie should give evidence about her allegations against late Benazir Bhutto and other party leaders in the court; and if she fails to do so, she should be prosecuted under the law for slandering and defamation. And if she proves, PPP leaders should be in the dock. It would be appropriate to investigate as to what was the purpose of her long stay in Pakistan; and she should prove her credentials.
However, there should be investigations of the allegations about her rape by Senator A Rehman Malik and manhandling by former Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani and Makhdoom Shahbuddin. Cynthia also claims that everything she has posted in the past few days about the PPP is true and that she has the evidence to prove it to a neutral investigative journalist or in the court of law. Rehman Malik has sent a legal notice to Synthia for defamation through his lawyer Raja Abdul Rehman, a Supreme Court advocate. Now we come to another story, and discuss ruses and subterfuges of PML-N leader and former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, whose another photo this time with his son Hasan Nawaz taking a stroll in London has surfaced online. The photo shows the PML-N leader taking a stroll with his son near his residence.
Last week, a photo of the PML-N leader Nawaz Sharif was seen circulating on social media, showing him having tea with his grandchildren in the garden of Hasan Nawaz’s Hyde Park Palace office. As soon as the photo circulated, a war of words started between PML-N leaders and PTI Ministers. Responding to the criticism, Maryam Nawaz said that her father’s picture on social media was aimed at humiliating him and like every time the plan failed. Recently, a news report in the private TV channel Samaa claimed that doctors on duty during Mian Nawaz Sharif’s admission in hospitals in Pakistan revealed that Sharif family did not let health officials do blood platelets tests on him. Fake documents were prepared in order to facilitate MNS’ escape from Pakistan. It is astonishing that so-called analysts and anchors, who participated in creating the hype about his ailment, keep mum on this issue.
It has to be mentioned that it is more than six and a half months that Nawaz Sharif bas not been admitted in any of the hospitals in London, whereas PML-N leaders and media had created hype that if he was not allowed to go abroad for treatment, he could die any moment. This also brings forth the major issue at hand, and that is how influential the mafia is in Pakistan? In a recent picture that went viral on social media, Sharif is seen sitting at a roadside eatery with his granddaughters. According to PML-N, Nawaz Sharif had stopped at a roadside café after a walk. He was seen sporting a blue shalwar kameez and a cap. It sparked a debate about the former premier’s health with his critics asking why he did not return to Pakistan if he is well and roaming on London streets.
A few days ago, Federal Minister for Science and Technology Fawad Chaudhry said that former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s medical reports should be investigated after a new photo of the PML-L supremo went viral last week. “Nawaz Sharif’s picture from Britain shows that his health is good. Nawaz Sharif is also not sharing his test reports from Britain with the government which gave rise to suspicion. This establishes that British laboratories have not confirmed Nawaz Sharif’s illness. There are suspicions that the former Prime Minister submitted fake reports to the courts to ensure he moved abroad for treatment. There is a need to investigate Nawaz Sharif’s test reports carried out in Pakistan,” Fawad wrote to the PM. He added that it should be probed as to who has distorted the test reports in Pakistan.
Fawad Chaudhry wondered whether Pakistanis would trust the accountability system after this. He said that such photos make a mockery of the country’s justice system, law, administration and judicial system. But no one would agree that it was only failure of judicial system, as it is a matter of moral decay and degeneration. But who is supposed to clean the Augean stables, where there is corruption and moral degeneration; where culture of tax evasion, black marketing and money laundering thrives and the filthy rich go unpunished because of their clout?
—The writer is a senior journalist based in Lahore.
