HOW unfortunate is that an honest person of impeccable integrity is not allowed in our country to work independently as per the law rather pressurized to achieve some ulterior motives. Aftab Sultan, now former Chairman of NAB is the latest casualty of our corrupt system, who, we believe, was compelled to leave the office because of his fairness and unrighteousness.
After serving for eight months, Aftab Sultan resigned as Chairman NAB on Monday, citing interference and pressure. During a farewell meeting with NAB officers on Tuesday, he expressed satisfaction at upholding his principles and not bowing to any pressure, adding he can neither initiate a false case nor drop an established reference merely because the culprit was related to some big shot. No words are enough to appreciate the principled stand taken by Aftab Sultan. His credibility was already beyond any doubt and his latest decision has only further improved his image in the eyes of the public. However it is regrettable that such persons are not allowed to work freely and if this trend continues, nobody will be able to save us from total collapse.
Aftab Sultan is the one who, being a senior police officer deployed in Sargodha during the Musharraf regime, had refused to help him in the 2002 referendum. In return, Sultan was demoted to the rank of an OSD. Then he was also behind the preparation of a five thousand page report on the directives of the Supreme Court as the Additional Inspector General of Police in the Bank of Punjab case. He was appointed as an investigation officer in the case after the apex court expressed dissatisfaction over NAB’s inquest. It was because of his upright approach he was appointed to the intelligence bureau in 2013.
Corruption is one of the major issues facing the country but the accountability process should be such which is impartial and non-discriminatory. This is only possible when honest persons like Aftab Sultan are at the helm of affairs. Their presence in fact will make the accountability process credible and leave no room for anybody to raise a finger on it. NAB should be allowed to work independently and the practice of using the organization for political victimization must come to an end. The next Chairman should be appointed keeping in view his upright credentials and then he should be fully allowed to work without any pressure.
