Investigation commission

The agreement with Broadsheet to recover assets was possibly dealt with in the wrong way from the very start during the Musharraf era. Now the opposition says that the PTI government's appointment of a commission to investigate it and discover any wrongdoing is perhaps most misplaced of all. The opposition has objected to the methodology and to the appointment of the chairman of the Commission, Justice Azmat Saeed, who it points out was also the deputy prosecutor general in Punjab at the time that NAB reached its agreement with Broadsheet. The opposition says that this does not place him in the ideal position to investigate a deal in which he was so directly involved himself, as a senior official of NAB.

The question then is: who should look into the Broadsheet matter? What is needed most of all is a judge who is known for competence and lack of bias or any involvement with the Broadsheet deal itself. No doubt should exist when inquiry is carried out, so that the results can be accepted by all and bring real benefit to the country while solving the problems that have arisen as a result of the deal in question. Too many times before we have had commissions which have been able to deliver nothing or have simply fluffed over issues in order to avoid going into the real meat of the matter and coming up with the actual facts. Certainly, we do not want this in a matter as sensitive as that of Broadsheet and what it was designed to deal with.

For now, it is necessary that the government look into the matter properly given that it involves funds owned by the Sharifs as well as other assets owned by a broad range of politicians. The deal was reached by the then president Musharraf at the time when he was the chief executive officer of Pakistan. It is now time that this issue be put at rest. There is suspicion that Musharraf's role in the affair is the key factor in preventing a full inquiry into Broadsheet. Some observers have said that the government needs to rethink its strategy and consider how best it would be to act. It must keep its own promises to the people to end corruption and handle things fairly and equitably when doing so.

The opposition has already said that perhaps parliament would be the best forum to investigate the Broadsheet affair and reach a conclusion. This certainly is an idea that could be considered. It is important to build trust in people and reach the bottom of an affair that has widespread implications and which needs to be settled fairly so that we can identify all those who played a part in what has become one of the biggest scandals of recent times and which needs to be resolved before more damage can be done to the country, and more harm caused to the credibility of a government which needs to ensure its own reputation is not damaged beyond repair.