Headed for doomsday?

In today's world, accountability isn't an acceptable proposition for those adoring the corridors of power. The more corrupt and valueless a polity, greater its abhorrence for any idea whose materialisation could result in politicians' accountability for their deeds that, most of the time, are propelled by a craving for self-benefit and a longing for staying in power.
In Pakistan, no democratic regime thought about setting up an autonomous forum for their accountability; the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) was set up by a General. But to stay in power, he too succumbed to the Western pressure for restoring "democracy", and via the infamous National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO), let the corrupt go scot-free.
The darker side of the longing for staying in power - imperative for continued unchecked corruption to assure self-benefit - is that politicians want only their opponents to be held accountable and punished, and the best mode thereof is being barred from entering politics, preferably for good; in Pakistan, it has been the ongoing phenomenon.
It therefore isn't surprising that as long as other parties (ie provincial regimes except Punjab's) remained the target of the current "operation clean-up", PML-N found nothing wrong with it because PPP - PML-N's main adversary in national politics - and MQM - whose hold on Karachi is PML-N's major headache - remained its target, though largely for valid reasons.
But once the demand for "cleaning" the administration in Punjab and the federal set-ups gained momentum, the PM decided to "warn" the National Accountability Bureau (NAB), accusing it of harassing the bureaucrats to a point where they felt too terrified to take decisions for implementing projects whose completion is imperative for economic growth.
Also, that NAB officials raid the houses of "innocent" people without verifying the authenticity of their being involved in crimes of corruption. Impliedly, since NAB is acting against national interests, its constitutionally defined ambit of authority must be curtailed unless it agrees to do what the government (the PML-N regime) wants.
According to a press report, on condition of anonymity, a source in NAB disclosed that the PM issued this warning after hints that NAB will probe the LNG import deal and the Metro Bus, Orange Train, LDA City, and Raiwind Road projects, and the amazing hikes in the cost of the Neelum-Jehlum and Nandipur power projects despite their visible failure to deliver.
Besides these controversial projects, a relative of the PM who organised the Youth Festival in Punjab and a minister in the Punjab cabinet - a close aide to the Chief Minister -are facing inquiries over irregularities and crimes based on the assembled evidence. Also, NAB hasn't closed the cases of irregularities in recruitment in the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA).
Regarding FIA, which has targeted Dr Asim Hussain, former president Asif Ali Zardari lost no time in reminding the PM about his anger over FIA's operations saying "Mian Sahib, not only NAB but your FIA is also doing the same job", and sources inside PPP said that the party "will fully support any amendment to the NAB law brought to parliament".
In response, Chaudhry Nisar Ali offered to set-up a judicial commission to examine FIA's role under his command, claiming that he was striving to turn it into an apolitical and wholly professional investigation agency, but admitted that a lot needs to be done to "purge FIA of corruption." Impliedly, FIA may be faulted not because it is nabbing the corrupt, but due to its failure to eradicate corruption within.
After the PM's criticism of NAB while addressing the party's newly-elected local government members in Bahawalpur came the news about drafting of a law to clip the wings of the constitutionally autonomous NAB. One TV channel went as far as announcing that a 147-page draft of the law making NAB subservient to the government had been drafted.
There were rumours that since NAB may soon begin investigating and then targeting some powerful PML-N politicians holding important offices despite their involvement in the reported corruption in LNG import, Metro Bus, Orange Train, LDA City, and Raiwind Road projects, the government may quickly get an ordinance issued to partially paralyse NAB.
There are also rumours that after the PM's condemnation of the operations of NAB, its chairman cancelled a planned meeting with the PM. However, a PM House spokesman denied this saying that no such meeting was planned so the question of its cancellation does not arise. But the truth won't remain suppressed for long; it will be exposed soon.
A perception gaining ground is that the PM's worry big is the NAB chairman (his chosen appointee according to leader of the opposition Khursheed Shah) who is no longer letting the government interfere in NAB's affairs, which has made the PM suspect that some unofficial (secret?) liaison between NAB and the "establishment" changed the NAB chairman's attitude.
While the government denies drafting a law to suffocate NAB, reportedly, on the advice of a well-wisher who warned the PM of the fallout from fiddling with the autonomy of NAB, belatedly, Imran Khan too found it necessary to state that PTI" did nothing" to prompt the head of KP's Ehtesab Commission to resign. But this isn't the end of this conflict.
While a constitutional amendment for curtailing NAB's powers remains guesswork, the demand that NAB and FIA must obtain permission of the speakers of the parliamentary units before arresting an MP on charges of corruption implies that political parties want MPs to be elevated to a level not permitted by any reputed democracy.
While the PM and his spokesmen have softened their outbursts, some trade bodies have (on official advice?) taken over the job of claiming that NAB's activities are hurting the sentiment for investment. These bodies ignore the fact that the biggest ailment the world suffers from is the pursuit of "mutual benefit" by businesses and governments.
The Information Minister provided an example of this "joint pursuit" while addressing the media in Texila on Sunday, by making an amazingly contradictory revelation; he said the price of LNG being imported from Qatar has been "fixed" 13 percent below the oil price, but there was "no agreement on LNG price" and the matter is being investigated.
He didn't realise that such flawed defence of LNG import - the biggest and longest-ever import deal - has been fuelling criticism of the anomalies therein which the government hasn't disclosed. Same applies to another mega project - CPEC - whose details, especially the debt burden it will entail, remain guesswork. Doesn't this conduct raise doubts about the regime's integrity? Then why fault NAB?
That selective accountability couldn't go on, was ignored for too long; while the government overlooked this aspect, NAB - criticised for its visible bias in favour of the PML-N regime - was bound to finally peer deeply into Punjab. Besides, far too many cases of corruption have surfaced and putting them under the carpet is impossible. Less-than-honest politicians may have to witness the Doomsday - reality that they ignored.