Turn Of The Screw

THE timing was perfect. Nawaz Sharif had barely returned from a trip to the US where he had signalled to the Clinton Administration that he was ready to sign the CTBT in a year's time if Pakistan's economic and security needs were addressed. In turn, the US had indicated that this was not impossible. Besides, Sharif's meeting with his Indian counterpart had gone off well, with New Delhi agreeing to have talks on Kashmir and ease travel restrictions between the two countries. Politically, Sha-rif, on his return, was all set to take some badly-needed mileage out of the visit, when a report in London's Observer hit Islamabad.

Sharif, according to the report, owned four flats in central London, bought for over £3 million but now worth much more. There were conflicting reports in Islamabad over whether or not Sharif had declared these to the tax authorities. But that wasn't all. The report says that over $70 million has been traced to accounts and companies controlled by his family. That vast sums have been passed through fake bank accounts and secret tax-haven companies. That Sharif received billions of rupees in bank loans. And that $8 million was sent offshore by companies in the Ittefaq group and then returned to 43 of Sharif's kith and kin. A further $50 million is allegedly in Switzerland.

The charges were mind-blowing, particularly as they come in the aftermath of the government's appeal to donate generously to bail it out from an economic default. In a clumsy cover-up job, the government sent an SOS to the media to ignore the report in the 'greater national interest'. But full details were carried the next day by a defiant media as well as on the Internet.

Yet, the most damaging part of the Observer report were predictions that Gen Jehangir Karamat, chief of army staff, was on the brink of declaring martial law on grounds of political instability. "This is just absurd. Those who are talking about martial law are the enemies of the country," he said.

Nasirullah Babar, formerly the PPP's interior minister, defended the charges which came from Rehman Malik, former director general of the federal investigative agency (FIA). "We'll take this official report to the court of law and demand inquiry by an independent tribunal. President Tarar should order an independent inquiry if he has a conscience".

Since the charges had come from a government official, the interior ministry chargesheeted him on counts of corruption and misconduct. Malik is on bail and hiding in London. Said PPP's Syed Khurshid Shah on the floor of the House: "This chargesheeting of an FIA official lends support to the Observer story. Why is the government taking these steps now? And why is he being questioned for snooping into Sharif's bank accounts in '92-93?"

 The beleaguered PM had retained his media controller, Mushahid Hussain, in London to get the Observer to deny the story. But the magazine stuck to its guns, saying it needed more evidence before publishing Sharif's denial.

In Parliament, the Opposition brought up the issue for three days consistently. As a result, Sharif avoided the Lower House. "It's only fair that while the Opposition leader is being persecuted through a PML senator, the Opposition should be allowed to pursue corruption cases placed before the Ehtesaab commissioner and a high court and now independently corroborated by a British paper," said PPP leader Benazir Bhutto—who had earlier faced corruption charges by the Observer.

The charges come at a time when Sharif is facing flak from his own party members. There is a crying need for a truly impartial accountability mechanism. And Pakistan's apex courts are being asked to take suo motu notices for the corrupt practices of the rulers. "The politicians' image is getting more sullied, and they have only themselves to blame. This situation naturally gives rise to calls for the formation of a government of technocrats. The government has done well to challenge the offending paper. This is the only way to retrieve its credibility," writes the Frontier Post.

Already, the Muslim League government in the NWFP is on the verge of collapse as Leaguers have rebelled against the chief minister. In Sindh the government saved itself by "buying" back the Mohajir Qaumi Movement. And in Baluchistan disgruntlement brews. Could this be the beginning of the end for Nawaz Sharif?