There are no firsts in the JIT saga

In contradiction to both democracy and freedom of expression, Pakistan has taken a turn for the worst. It seems to be pursuing a Goebbelian notion that it is the absolute right of the state or government to supervise, formulate and manipulate public opinion. That is what we are witnessing these days in the media’s free-for-all over the Joint Investigation Team (JIT) probing the Panama leaks case.

The country’s history has been distorted from day one, starting from the censoring of the Quaid’s speech of August 11, 1947.

Unfortunately, today, Jinnah’s secular Pakistan has almost become a semi-theocratic state.

In the game of muck throwing, to cloud each other’s views and perceptions, we forget that in the final run it is the divine retribution - the perfect justice of the Lord of the Universe that would only matter.

Take the ordeal faced by the Sharif family. Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif claims that he has set an example. He says that it is the first time in Pakistan’s history that a sitting prime minister has appeared before an investigation.

While one appreciates his spirit, he should be reminded that it was then Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto who had set an example by appearing before the Murtaza Bhutto murder inquiry commission headed by Justice Aslam Zahid.

One would also recall that Bhutto’s statement was recorded in the court, while there were objections to recording Sharif’s statement before the JIT.

Then there was Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani who appeared before the Supreme Court when then Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry held him in contempt for refusing to write a letter to the Swiss authorities. He preferred to resign instead.

It needs to also be recalled how Senator Saifur Rehman, as chief of the National Accountability Bureau, resorted to third degree methods against Asif Ali Zardari, Benazir Bhutto and other PPP stalwarts.

There is even audio evidence of Rehman conversing with Justice Qayyum, who is being asked to convict Benazir Bhutto and Asif Zardari in the SGS Cotecna case.

Panama leaks exposed various leaders for hiding their assets and being involved in corruption around the world. Some have resigned from public offices.

Here in Pakistan, the Panama probe is likely coming to a close. For the prime minister and his children, the verdict can sway anyway. Either way, he and his ministers must remember that there are no firsts here.

Hasan is former High Commissioner of Pakistan to UK and a veteran journalist