Daily Times

In a nerve-tickling development, Jahangir Tareen finds himself back on the FIA’s radar over the same old sugar and money laundering scandals. Just when the commentariat was itching to write on the resurgence of his longtime bonhomie with the PM, the cat dragged along yet another stick to tarnish Tareen’s positive spin on charges against him. Ah! The irony.

Going by PM Khan’s emotional confession last year, taking this action hurt him like dropping his cousin Majid Khan from the Pakistani cricket team. Yet, kudos to the ruling government for staying firm in such a bold decision. Defying speculations (even by those sitting on the treasury benches) about party politics getting the better of accountability crusade, the ruling PTI published the inquiry committee’s report on sugar and wheat crises. Rumour mills in Islamabad were working full time as the prime minister refused to entertain his ministers’ requests to hand out any special favours. Further, the state did not cry wolf before sacrificing its prime architect in the name of principles. Even today, government representatives like Shahzad Akbar adamantly claimed, “We are not ready to give NRO to anyone.”

Whether this speaks to Khan sparing no one when it comes to his pre-polling promise of bringing Pakistan’s looted wealth back or hints at factional rifts within his party, the writing on the wall is clear: Tareen is playing on a sticky wicket.

Another strand was added to the conundrum when Khan’s once confidante lamented being victimised by the bureaucracy. He openly blamed the PMO secretary Azam Khan as the prime force behind the sugar report. Maintaining his innocence, he had then claimed of being railroaded merely because of an attempt to nip bureaucratic red tape in the bud. He had even objected to how the commission could probe what went on in all of Pakistan’s sugar mills by auditing just nine! However, the fact that he was allowed to leave for London on a supposed medical trip shortly thereafter, simply added fuel to those doubting any meaningful consequences for the PTI stalwart. Everything may look rosy on paper, but the harsh reality dictates that the political elite have rarely been convicted before our country’s court of law. There remain endless loopholes for their top-notch legal representation to play around. The SHC has already declared the constitution of the inquiry commission illegal. It only remains to be seen whether PM Khan’s too-good-to-be-true breaking of the ruler’s taboo holds up inside courts. The Tareen chorus may continue with the breaking and making of loyalties within the PTI yet no one can overlook the disastrous manner in which the powerful sugar barons have used their clout in one of the most publicised scams in recent past. Stealing from poor farmers, these bigwigs make use of everything under the sun–from market shares to government subsidies–for a little extra profit. All this is done to evade taxes and cheat the customers as much as they can.

Since it is now their turn to dance to the masses’ tune, the government must play its due part in implementing the law. It cannot afford to crumble under anyone’s influence. The whole of Pakistan is waiting for Islamabad to tackle these overambitious millowners head-on. A highly favourable first step might be taking action against those benefitting the most from the bittersweet shuffling while sitting within earshot of the prime minister. All eyes are resting on the likes of Petroleum Minister Omar Ayub, Economic Affairs Minister Khusro Bakhtyar and the conflict of interest tainting PM’s Advisor (Commerce) Abdul Razak Dawood. No across-the-board accountability can resonate with the masses until PTI takes stock of the black sheep within. The perennial land-grabbing allegations against its champion Aleem Khan are an excellent test case for the party to put on a show of fairness and justice! *