Future of Panama Papers In Pakistan

"Nothing will happen... " is the common perception in Pakistan as a result of the greatest global monetary corruption scandal exposing hidden assets of the world's elite. Corruption is an acknowledged way of life for Pakistanis on day to day basis with very few exceptions. Pakistan's three times Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif is the most prominent politician under scrutiny as a result of the Panama papers leak which is carefully choreographed by its managers to expose certain world leaders and global elite. Nawaz Sharif's family is being blamed for raising a loan of 7 million pounds sterling against their London properties held through offshore companies. The real question to be asked or ascertained is the origin of the money through which Nawaz Sharif's family were able to afford to buy these properties. Opposition led by erstwhile Pakistani politician Imran Khan, backed by the majority of Pakistanis, accuse Nawaz Sharif family of having acquired this money under question through corruption and ill-means. These accusations have yet to be proven by an independent inquiry. The way Pakistan works, there are the the least likely chances of an independent inquiry proving anything against the high and mighty, but only broad brush efforts to shift the mess under the carpet are expected. Under the circumstances, keeping in mind the power dynamics of Pakistan. the powerful Army brass led by Gen Raheel Sharif (No relation to Nawaz Sharif) holds the key to unlocking the exit doors for Nawaz Sharif and his ruling clan.

After the not so honourable exit of General Pervez Musharraf from power, the Pakistan Army took a policy decision with consensus among the top brass, not to overtly take over the Pakistani government by derailing the democratic process in future. Pakistani military ruled Pakistan for most of her existence after independence from the British rule in 1947. However, in the recent past, the Pakistani Army brass realized that the global audience is averse to military dictatorship in the modern times making it a financial liability, while finances are exactly what are required to run the mega military machine known as the Pakistani Armed Forces, which happens to be the seventh largest in the world and biggest in the Muslim world armed with nuclear arsenals as well. This and the adverse fallout of bad policy decisions and its blame on the Army also made them look bad in the eyes of the public in Pakistan, a domain jealously guarded by the Pakistani Armed Forces, forced them to take the said policy decision to the very top. Hence, the democratic process in the country irrespective of its inherent flaws was allowed to continue for the last 8 years and continued while an iron grip is still maintained on defense and related foreign policy owing to national security reasons as a pretext.

Pakistani Army under its decorated Chief is on an in house cleansing drive kicking out corrupt officers to include serving Generals as a first in the history of the country. While the Army strongly desires to conduct across the board accountability of all sections of Pakistani society its hands are tied under the constitution to only restrict the said accountability process to its own domain. Pakistani Army brass also realizes the deep rooted corruption spread through every segment of Pakistani society in particular the powerful elite which include the politicians and judiciary. Like in the past, whenever, Pakistan Army has been forced to take civilian affairs in its hands, the same corrupt system bogged them down in a position where they could only be frustrated and its own officers corps became part of the same hypocrisy called the dirty Pakistani politics where corruption of all kinds is prevalent on all levels. This time round, the Army leadership seemed to have wizened up and restricted themselves to their specific job, which is again highly demanding in a country infested with terrorism and militancy. Under the scenario, it is least likely for the Pakistani Army to take any proactive step against the Nawaz Sharif government which would entail destabilizing the democratic process in the country. Without doing so, the Army would thus provide a "get out of jail free" card for now to Nawaz Sharif and the remaining elite exposed through the Panama papers leaks.

An eye wash inquiry commission is what will be formed without any teeth which will be used to drag on the matter for as long as possible, it may  mean the completion of Nawaz Sharif's term in power which lasts till 2018. Almost all political parties will cry murder but that's all they would be able to do being led by corrupt leaders who have stinking skeletons in their cupboards themselves. Some nuisance would be created by Imran Khan's party which will be managed by using or rather misusing government machinery and Pakistan would go on, the way it usually does. At most we may expect a few scapegoats and some "cosmetic surgery" to appease the public and the media perception but nothing substantial is expected out of this complete exercise. For the people of Pakistan who are not self centered/indulged, they are either weak or corrupt themselves to fight for their rights in a system which is based on sheer nepotism and disregard for laws and regulations where might is right rules the order of the day. Those who somehow evade the maze of corruption and rise above their peers through sheer hard work and luck, also gets caught up in the rut of nepotism, corruption and favouratism in order to survive and sustain their success.

Corruption is a global phenomenon, whereas it is an accepted way of life in under developed and developing countries. The only cure to corruption is transparency, achieving this is the only benchmark for being termed as a civilized progressive society. Pakistan has a long way to go in this regard. However, this has to be the only way forward if Pakistan has to survive as a nation state and modern polity of nations.

"The world will not be destroyed by those who do evil, but by those who watch them without doing anything. " - Albert Einstein.