This is with reference of your editorial captioned 'Misuse of authority' (June 24). The auditor-general of Pakistan reported that millions of rupees from the human rights fund held in the custody of the law ministry had been swindled by way of payments made to 305 voters of the law minister Wasi Zafar's constituency (Jaranwala) in the name of human rights abuses. One more scam added to the scam galore! Incidentally, the ministry is headed by an honourable retired judge as secretary.
The law minister is again forcing the functionaries of the law ministry to assist him to gulp an even greater chunk of the fund by doling out to another set of his 560 voters. This time, however, a senior joint secretary of the ministry opted not to bow to the law minister's order. In retaliation, she was taught a lesson and transferred, for trying to prevent misuse of taxpayers' money. The question is: who will ensure that the law minister acts within the confines of the law?
I tend to agree with the editorial that those at the highest level need to wake up to the situation. Additionally, may one hope that President General Pervez Musharraf shall take note of this state of affairs, so that his detractors do not quote such incidents as a sign of misgovernance.
