EXPRESSING dissatisfaction over Pakistan’s latest ranking in the Corruption Perception Index, President Mamnoon Hussain told the National Accountability Bureau some time ago to “net the big fish involved in corruption”. He also called for “social boycott of corrupt elements”, and said that “primary responsibility for ensuring a culture of good governance lay with the civil administration”. Agreed, but do read the following, Mr President.

Sometimes unexpected telephone calls or unanticipated interventions in your life make all the difference. For better or worse, you are tested. More so if you are in public service. That October night in 2009 was an unforgettable experience for me. I was woken up by the shrill tone of the ‘green’ phone on my bedside table at 2am. The voice on the other end was that of a polite and respectful operator. “Sir, sorry for the late call. The president wants to talk to you.” The president? I asked incredulously and requested the operator to wait till I had put the lights on and got my notebook.

In fact, I wanted to be fully awake having slept late after a long flight from Singapore where, as DG FIA, I had won election as member of the Interpol executive committee to represent Asia. As the second Pakistani to be bestowed the honour of serving on the highest policymaking body of the global police organisation, I was still relishing this incredible victory for Pakistan.

The first and only thought that came to my mind was that the interior minister must have informed the president after having returned a day earlier and spoken at the inaugural ministerial session in Singapore of the 78th General Assembly of the 198 member states of Interpol.

When safeguards against corruption are weakened, a culture of sleaze becomes pervasive.

With pride in my voice, I informed the operator that I was ready to talk to the president. After the ADC had checked my status, the head of state came on line. There were no greetings or formal courtesies: “DG sahib, this is not a perfect world that we live in.” For a moment I was taken aback and managed to mumble, “I beg your pardon, Sir?” The president said again in a voice reflecting irritation: “I said we do not live in a perfect world.” He stopped and I knew then that the tone and tenor of his voice was not that of felicitation, but intimidation.

I kept quiet hoping that he would elaborate while he expected me to say something. There was a long pause. Then he said what he actually wanted to say: “My ministers are not happy with you. The FIA has unnecessarily initiated inquiries and investigations against cabinet members.”

So that was the intent of this late-night call. By then I had regained my composure and respectfully replied: “Mr President, some of the ministers are allegedly involved in corruption, misuse of authority and even money laundering. I have kept the interior minister and the prime minister informed. The probes and investigations have been initiated on the basis of information and evidence that would be thoroughly evaluated and substantiated before a decision to prosecute any member of the federal cabinet is taken.”

“No, they are complaining of harassment by the agency,” the president said in a somewhat subdued but angry tone. “Sir, you have heard a one-sided version,” I replied and added that “the head of the state should give the head of the federal police an opportunity to place all the facts before him.” The president in an awkward tone said that he would call me soon along with the interior minister and hung up without any further word.

I wished he had not snapped and cut short the conversation as I wanted to inform him that the agency had started investigations against four serving ministers: one was allegedly accepting bribes through his staff on issuance of licences for prohibited-bore weapons. Two of the cabinet members were being probed on information furnished by certain European police liaison officers regarding human trafficking and people smuggling. One minister was under investigation for money laundering.

I also wanted to inform the president that the FIA had first to put its own house in order by initiating criminal investigations and prosecution against its known corrupt senior officers and blacklisting a large number of personnel having adverse record or controversial reputation, denying them field postings and further avenues of corruption. A new command team was assembled with the only mission to fight crime and corruption. The role of the director general was to protect those honest and professional officers who had the courage to take on the corrupt mafia.

The next few days were spent in preparing summaries and briefs of all cases of corruption being investigated by the FIA. Weeks passed but the meeting notice never came. Meanwhile, the Supreme Court took suo motu notice of certain high-profile cases of alleged corrupt practices that were reported by the media. The FIA found itself in the eye of the storm, caught between judicial activism and the authority of the executive.

Finally the phone rang again past midnight in early December 2009. This time it was the principal secretary to the prime minister. She informed me that I stood transferred as secretary of the narcotics control division. I was ‘kicked’ up.

The big fish always swim in the influential and privileged deep waters of power. Corruption seeps into the corridors of power when a nexus develops between some business tycoons and those politicians and senior bureaucrats who are involved in the decision-making process. When institutional safeguards against corruption and graft are weakened, a culture of sleaze becomes all-pervasive. Pakistan, unfortunately, is passing through the phase of institutional decay.

The rulers alone are not to blame. There is a big question mark over the professional calibre and integrity of the law-enforcement and civil services leadership. They have lost the courage to say no. While people are generally known by the company they keep, public servants are known by the company they keep away from. This distinction is lost in Pakistan today.

The writer is former DG, FIA.

Published in Dawn, June 15th, 2015

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