Daily Times

The arrest of the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan Chairman Zafar Hijazi adds another twist to the Panamagate scandal. Hijazi was accused of tampering with the records of the Sharif family owned Chaudhary Sugar Mills — a charge reinforced by the FIA.

The accusations levelled against Hijazi show how the House of Sharifs has been panicking about the legal proceedings. First it was the Calibri blunder, and now Hijazi’s arrest can open avenues for further prosecution of Nawaz Sharif’s family. The arrest of Hijazi is thus important for two reasons. First, it highlights how Pakistan’s courts are tackling head on the culture in our country of no accountability for top officials. Pakistan’s battle with corruption is rife with bureaucrats, politicians and army officials avoiding justice, and even though Hijazi has touted health concerns to avoid arrest, it seems the courts might just carry through with his prosecution. Second, Hijazi’s arrest can answer questions over who influenced Hijazi to tamper with the Sugar Mills’ records. This could then lead to the indicting of individuals and the top dogs of the ruling party who are allegedly involved in the tampering.

The PML-N’s reaction to Hijazi’s arrest shows that the party might just be fearing such an outcome. Punjab Law Minister Rana Sanullah was quick to claim that junior officers of the SECP who testified against Hijazi were ‘pressurised’ in doing so. Who pressurised them, the Minister left unsaid. Sanaullah’s statements highlight that the N-league is once again playing its favourite card of deep state hatching a conspiracy against the party, and is in fact trying to claim Hijazi is innocent. This narrative will then allow the party to deny allegations against its leaders who might be accused of tampering the records. Interestingly, Pervez Musharraf’s party, the All Pakistan Muslim League lauded Hijazi’s arrest and claimed it was a major step in eradicating corruption in the country. The APML’s statement indicates that the former President Musharraf perhaps views SECP chairman’s arrest as sweet retribution for the ruling party’s attempts of holding the former dictator accountable for violating the constitution. All in all, Hijazi’s arrest is a significant step and should provide further answers in the ongoing scandal.

Published in Daily Times, July 24^th 2017.