We are back to the discussion on the National Accountability Bureau, the most high-profile instrument devised against corruption. Far from being the "independent, impartial and efficient" mechanism, as I.A. Rehman suggests it ought to be, perceptions indicate the contrary. The efficiency claims of NAB, largely in terms of recovering the looted wealth, ring hollow when its credibility as an independent institution is put under question.

Apart from a constant critique on these grounds, what has brought NAB under discussion again in recent days is its image as a draconian institution that is engaged in political victimisation and that cares little about the dignity of persons which is guaranteed in the constitution under Article 14.

In a bid to appear independent and efficient, NAB has been using the media to project its performance, often making villains of accused people and tarnishing their image for life, long before they are pronounced guilty. The latest victims are the handcuffed university professors in Lahore whose visuals have flashed on all kinds of media. This may have evoked massive response against NAB but the truth is that it has been doing this shamelessly and without being answerable to anyone for a long time.

The other case that has come to the fore is that of the arrest of former chief minister Punjab who is now Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly, Mian Shahbaz Sharif. The time and manner in which he was arrested has given the opposition parties a chance to claim this was an attempt to impact the outcome of the impending by-polls. There has been an exchange of fireworks in the National Assembly on the conduct of NAB, while the government has claimed its innocence and distance from NAB.

Claims aside, it is evident that opposition parties like PML-N and PPP are at the receiving end of NAB’s long arms; their leaders are being put under remand or behind bars while some of the accused ruling party (PTI) members roam free. The superior courts acting as courts of appeal do give occasional relief and often express their displeasure at the working of NAB, but the imperfections of the accountability law and its application are for everyone to see.

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It is time that the political parties and the parliament engaged in a serious review of the accountability mechanism, a chance they have squandered many times before, remove the lacuna and set up a credible institution which is acceptable to all. They must take into consideration the fact that in setting up the powerful NAB, the accountability of the institution itself was overlooked in the past. They need to ensure that the instrument of accountability is accountable too.