A PREDICTABLE ‘cleaning of the Augean stables’ is taking place at law-enforcement agencies — as is wont to happen each time a new government comes in. Just days after Shehbaz Sharif was sworn in as prime minister, his government removed the chief of the FIA’s cybercrime wing Babar Bakht Qureshi who was involved in probing several cases linked with the erstwhile opposition. This follows on the heels of two other officers, one from the FIA and the other from the Anti-Corruption Establishment, being placed on the ‘no-fly’ list. One may be sure that others too will soon find themselves in hot water. The officials that have fallen from grace thus far were involved in investigations pertaining to an accountability court judge’s video scandal, Asif Zardari’s agricultural properties, money laundering allegations against the leadership of the PML-N, MQM and PPP, etc. NAB and FIA have both been pulled up more than once by the courts for the perceived bias in their modus operandi. In a July 2020 Supreme Court judgement, retired Justice Maqbool Baqar excoriated NAB for riding roughshod over fundamental rights while seemingly carrying out a political vendetta at the government’s behest. The FIA also came under fire when its personnel arrested a media personality in February for allegedly slandering a PTI minister, with the Islamabad High Court chief justice asking Mr Qureshi whether the organisation considered itself above the law.

Are we now going to see the tables turned and these agencies being let loose on the PTI? Already, immediately after the successful no-confidence vote against Imran Khan, in fact even before a new prime minister was sworn in, the FIA placed several PTI members on the ‘no-fly list’ — which once again earned it a rebuke from the court. This vicious cycle must be broken now; the politicisation of what should be autonomous entities has profoundly damaged their credibility, shaken public trust in the rule of law, and reduced the noble concept of accountability to a hollow slogan. Until this culture changes, which seems like a remote possibility given the toxicity in the present political climate, law-enforcement personnel will not be able to deliver without the fear of getting penalised or transferred. Of course, abuse of power must be punished, but it must be punished whether the perpetrators belong to the opposition or the incumbent government; and both must be brought to justice strictly in accordance with the law.

Published in Dawn, April 15th, 2022