Some officials carry on performing their duties with impunity, no matter how severe allegations of corruption or malpractice they face. One such case is that of Mr. Shakeel Ahmad, whose term in National Accountability Bureau (NAB) is going to end on 20th January 2018. Despite complaints against him for misusing his powers and authority and his involvement in corrupt practices, NAB has decided to give him an extension. Such an act will not only be a disregard for the orders of Supreme Court of Pakistan on deputation but will also bring down the credibility of the institution.
The department is not enjoying a good reputation at the moment for its incompetency in ending the rampant corruption. Instead in many cases, people’s perception of this anti-corruption body is that of a facilitator in dirty deals and transactions.
What will be the possible implications of such an order under which Mr. Shakeel gets another extension? First, if he gets another extension, the department’s credibility will deteriorate further. The person under discussion is not enjoying the reputation of an honest officer. An inquiry is already set in motion to oversee his possible involvement in a housing scam in the federal capital.
Second, it will send a wrong message to and set a wrong precedent for the rest of the bureaucracy. It will discourage and bring down the morale of honest officers who refuse to take any pressure while performing their duties.
The Chairman of NAB needs to look into the matter impartially. For the way this person was previously dealt with tells us how influential he is. It will prove beneficial for NAB not to allow any corrupt person or someone who compromises on merit in its rank and file.