JUDICIAL GUARDIANS OF LOOTED WEALTH

An eventful week. Batting order changes. Sharp reactions to appointing former PPP team. Response to my last post where I stated IK has time. But headlines are Nawaz Sharif “onokha ladla’s” “onokhee maang” to get permanent bail and rush by some Lahore High Court Judges to support all matters “Sharif”. Being in Lahore unravels mysteries. The scourge is former CJ Iftikhar Chaudhry. During the lawyers’ movement to revive his post, alliances and friendships were forged. The movement was largely financed by Sharifs. A serving Judge doling out tons of relief to Sharifs, owes his position to offering “Sadqa” by slaughtering a “Vacha” upon Chief sb entourage’s entry into Pindi. Raising full throated slogans he greatly endeared himself resulting in his elevation. The engineered opportunity arose when 106 so-called PCO Judges were booted out. A lot of experience and competence was lost that day. CJ Ifitikhar Chaudhry had a field day filling these slots by rewarding the faithful, with financier Sharifs calling the shots. Result. Pakistani State is toothless when it comes to Sharifs. The State Institutions are no match to the “Gowalmandi cousins” of “Sicilian Mafia”. Their moles are everywhere in the State Machinery sabotaging the accountability process.

I returned from Indonesia this week via Jakarta. Spent a day with my friend and partner Tahir Chaudhry. His pearls of wisdom intertwined with brutal realism enlightened me about their just concluded national elections. 190 million voters exercised their choice to elect all tiers of Government. The two contenders for President’s slot are incumbent President Joko Widodo, popularly known as Jokowi, an outsider who has common man’s touch versus Retired General Pabowo Subianto representing the entrenched elite. Recognise the similarity? The vote count will take a month. Both sides claim victory. Independent observers have declared President Jokowi  winner. Not so, says the opposition threatening protests. Umpire may have to intervene. All too familiar!! However there is one huge difference, their version of NAB known as KPK is far more effective in roping in powerful, corrupt elite handing out severe punishments. THEY HAVE ACTUALLY RECOVERED STOLEN NATIONAL WEALTH THROUGH JUDICIAL ORDERS NOT SETTLEMENTS. It is a huge deterrent. NAB should interact with KPK. I had briefed PM Imran Khan pre elections but I guess it got lost in the tiers.

Back in Lahore preparing for AGM of Punjab University Alumni Association on 28^th April, I got a chance to review comments on my last post. My school and university buddy, Shahid Iman is a hard task master. Yesterday he demanded answers to comments by his FB friends on posts shared by him. Raja Viqar, old timer PTI friend shares my efforts with his study group in USA. He sought the same. Here is my take. PTI is not just a political party, it is a reform movement which has morphed over 2 decades, having a large ideologically pure base. Their expectations are high and are quick to feel disillusioned. Like I counsel privately, I repeat my thoughts here. PTI has many shortcomings. Their infighting is toxic. You will disagree with many of their decisions. But I urge you to see the larger picture. Let me share my personal experience. In 1995 When Late Ahsan Rashid and a few other friends including my blue blooded Chitrali buddy Siraj Ul Mulk, Afzal Ghauri decided to join IK, it was our vision and dream to reform Pakistan, champion the oppressed, battle against the corrupt. As experienced business administrators we chose “TEMPRAMENT AND PERSONAL TRAITS OVER SKILL SET & POLITICAL EXPERIENCE.” 24 years on I still believe we were right. IK remains the best choice when he is himself. Reality: He came in with an inexperienced team, lacking real time home work. His so-called experts all slithered away leaving IK holding the ball. He has taken a lot of flack on many fronts, especially for the recent changes. Hafeez Shaikh’s induction has created a storm and interestingly the loudest are those who were equally loud against Asad Umar. We have to stay firm. I have a clear message for his team. You have to get over your infighting. Wake up and smell the coffee. Some of you exist only due to IK. Others may find a role in any future rag tag set up seeking “electables”. None of you can be another Imran Khan. Deliver now while you have a chance.

To PM Imran Khan I say in these challenging times you have to dig deep into your soul to draw on your reserves or you won’t have legs to stand on. IK you have the determination, the integrity, the charisma. Be ruthless in your choice of people who will serve Pakistan. Get rid of dead wood. It’s your legacy on line. See where it got Mao, Lenin, Mahatir. They were lucky they didn’t have social media hounding them but you have media Managers. Put them to work. You still have 52 months. Start delivering. If you lose the Government, so be it. You will go down in history as the one who tried. People will bring you back. Give them something to hang their hopes on. You have to get past making promises, you have to start delivering, even in small doses. You have to pick and prioritize your areas. Remember Passion has no substitute. Now onto Pakistan’s Unicorn, Nawaz Sharif. We have hundreds of thousands of convicted prisoners. I am sure many of them are far sicker than you. But no doctor here can treat your sickness. Only one particular doctor in Harley Street can cure you. I am told he has unbelievable powers to heal a broken soul who can’t stand jail surroundings. Let us see what our Supreme Court decides. Some Justices in High Courts have already shown their hand. Dispensation of justice is not their oath, serving the Sharifs’ is.

A matter of utmost national importance is hogging the headlines and multiple talk shows. It’s the Gender issue. I have utmost respect for females and males. Such issues arise when behavioural attributes get blurred. IK made the slip calling Bilawal “sahiba”. In retaliation Bilawal threw back a similar slight. But that did not soothe his anger. Tonite surrounded Sherry Rehman, PTI turncoat Naz Baluch, Bilawal again hit back using salacious, dual meaning innuendos like the umpire’s finger size. Slippery slope Bilawal, watch out, names can stick. Your Nana called a decorated Air Marshal an “Aloo” and the name stuck.