The Panamian Tale

THE PANAMA ‘HUNGAMA’

The Friday’s decision of the Apex court which brought the Nawaz Sharif down; ignited a mix reaction of shock and celebrations all across the country. Panama Paper claimed the third major victim after almost a year of its leakage. The court ruled that Sharif had not been honest in disclosing his role in the  Dubai-based Capital FZE company and thus he is not honest according to the Article 62(1)f of the Constitution. The decision had a far-reaching impact on Sharif family in particular and Pakistan’s democratic process in general. Meanwhile, amid the tumult, opposition parties are vying to fill the vacuum left after Nawaz’s judicial disqualification.

Panama papers brought on the new wave of the shock for the already Dharna-stricken Prime Minister. Since his incumbency, he is surrounded by the demands of resignation by the opposition. However, removal of Nawaz from Prime Ministership triggered the upheaval all across the country. Imran Khan and his supporters celebrated Nawaz’s ouster and term it as the beginning of the accountability era. On the other side, there is Sharif’s loyalist who is viewing it as a ‘Judicial martial law’ and of the opinion that it is the butt in of some external power.
Since the outbreak, opposition especially Imran’s politics was counted on the papers and he never seemed to chicken out.
 

Imran and his confidantes who have contended that the verdict marks the beginning of accountability for the country's ruling elites. In fact, they are labelling it as the establishment of some Utopian society with the Sharif out of PM house.  However, it is nowhere a historic decision unless everyone including Army officials, judges and civilian bureaucrats are subject to the same article and face the same consequences -when no one is above the law so no one should be.

Reeling democracy in Pakistan has always been vulnerable to self-centered adventurists, who for the sake of power put efforts to topple every successive government. It is high time now we must learn from our chequered history that tussle between the Government and Opposition have always brought up terrible consequences for the Democracy. How long these demagogues would be making fool out of the public for their thirst for power?  How we can term this removal as unprecedented while Yousaf Raza Gillani faced the same Fate and sparing the then President and his cabinet with whom the mega corruption scandals are associated. It is certainly not to suggest that anyone should be spared if he is proven guilty. Indeed, there should be accountability but not selective accountability.

Disqualified Nawaz on the Basis of dishonest and corrupt practices are fair enough—agreeable. Now it is yet to be seen when the Apex court applies this article on the other cases pending before the honourable court. Furthermore, there are other pending cases of corruptions, some of them amount to more than Sharifs’ corruption when the culprits of those cases are brought to Justice.
Indeed, there should be accountability of every public office holder but Charity must begin at home. Otherwise, the removal of prime minister would be another replica of the past adventures.