FROM A RINGSIDE SEAT: Corruption, inefficiency issues dominate National Assembly proceedings

Deep-rooted problems of corruption and inefficiency in state-run institutions and government failure to take any measures to arrest the trend dominated the National Assembly sitting on Monday with members one after another from both the sides expressing serious concerns.
What was extremely surprising was the absence of response by the treasury benches to a call by Khawaja Saad Rafique of Pakistan Muslim League (N) to take notice and stop the army from trying its official involved in NLC corruption case in the military courts rather than facing the charges before civil judiciary. His call fell on deaf ear during a poorly attended sitting which was marred by the boycott of coalition partners, Awami National Party (ANP) and Pakistan Muslim League (PML) Functional over Sindh People Local Government Ordinance (SPLGO).
The issue of corruption and inefficiency remained the major topic during the entire proceedings with members taking the government as well as concerned minister to task. It all started during question hour from power sector and as the proceedings progressed the corruption in other institutions especially National Logistic Cell, Capital Development Authority (CDA) was also brought to the notice of the House.
Ministers have been unable to give any justification to arrest the trend that has been costing massively to the exchequer and causing miseries to the masses. Chairman Public Account Committee (PAC) Nadeem Afzal Chand as well as other treasury members also condemned the corruption in CDA whereas Khawaja Saad Rafique was completely against the court martial of the three senior officials of armed forces allegedly involved in NLC corruption case and wanted their trial by the civilian authorities.
State Minister for Water and Power, Tasneem Ahmed Qureshi in response to a question admitted at the floor of the House that power theft and line losses in some areas have crossed 40 percent as well as inefficiency of distribution companies in the Punjab. The Minister appeared totally helpless and was unable to give any satisfactory reply to hard hitting questions of the members about the performance of the power sector.
All he was able to once again give assurance to them that a campaign has been launched by setting targets for distributions companies for recovery of outstanding dues from the public sector institutions as well as from the private consumers. Sadly, he did not mention even once of government intention to bring down line losses heavily costing the budget, may be he was not aware of repercussion on the economy.
The government has been financing losses of power sector from the budget by borrowing from the banking system and consequently massively piled up debt and crowded out critical financing to the private sector for growth. The CDA was the next on a calling attention for an attempt to allot commercial plots to favourites without inviting tenders and reaction was similar from both the treasury and opposition benches.
The Chairman PAC vehemently criticised the performance of CDA and stated that a mafia is running the affairs of the authority which if not controlled could create serious implication for the government. The other members said that basic reason of corruption in the authority was its board headed by the Chairman himself and underlined the need for making it transparent by appointing members from the private sector.
However, neither Parliamentary Secretary nor Chief whip of the government, Syed Khurshid Shah showed any interest to the suggestions of the members for appointment of a private board in the authority. As soon as the issue of CDA was over, Khawaja Saad Rafique of Pakistan Muslim League (N) stood up on a point of order to know under which law the army rehired three retired officials involved in NLC corruption case for court martial.
These officials have been caught by the PAC and should be tried by the civilian institutions and not by the army. Saad Rafique also urged the parliament to take notice and stop army for trying them in their own courts instead of letting them appear before the civilian institutions. Interestingly, no one from treasury spoke on the issue and when Khawaj Sadd Rafique started speaking, Minister for Information and Religious Affairs preferred to depart from the House.
However, Khawaja Saad Rafique continued his speech saying that there should be no sacred cow in the country and senior official of the armed forces who have been allegedly involved in embezzlement should also be tried in the courts where politicians and other are being tried. How sad it was, he said, that the country's Prime Minister could be disqualified by the Supreme Court but no one could dare touch the military officer.