THE dry cleaning of our political elite continues unabated, thanks to the controversial amendments made to our accountability laws just a few months earlier. The most recent instance is quite outrageous, considering that it allegedly involves past misappropriations from the Toshakhana by a different set of prime ministers.

According to reports, an accountability court, citing recent changes to NAB laws, has granted a reprieve to Nawaz Sharif, Asif Ali Zardari and Yousaf Raza Gilani in a case concerning the alleged appropriation of vehicles from the Toshakhana in return for paltry sums of money.

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The former two leaders allegedly ‘bought’ vehicles from the state gift repository at throwaway prices with the help of Mr Gilani, who, according to NAB, “dishonestly and illegally” relaxed the procedural requirements for the disposal of state gifts in order to facilitate them.

Separately, Mr Zardari has also won relief in a case concerning the alleged use of ill-gotten money in the construction of his residence in Clifton, Karachi. According to NAB, Mr Zardari could never sufficiently account for where the funds used to develop the residence came from, and it is suspected that the money was channelled through a third party under a shady deal.

Both cases are now back with the NAB chairman because the court hearing them says it no longer has jurisdiction following the National Accountability (Second Amendment) Act of 2022.

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After the PDM parties’ breathless outrage over the watches and other items appropriated from the Toshakhana and later sold by PTI chairman Imran Khan, it is difficult to square these developments with the loud pursuit of Mr Khan on charges of malfeasance.

How do the PML-N and PPP expect the public to buy into their narrative about the PTI chief when their own top leaders are cynically manoeuvring their way out of similar charges, with the help of changes that they forced onto NAB laws soon after seizing power?

If the cases in question against the PML-N and PPP leaders were frivolous or falsified, it would have been much more appropriate to win an acquittal from the courts. Neutralising these legal challenges in such a manner leaves little doubt about the PDM parties’ intent behind ‘reforming’ the NAB laws all along. The fig leaf has been cast aside with nary a thought as to what message it is giving to the citizenry about accountability and the abuse of power.

Published in Dawn, December 25th, 2022