The Corruption Quagmire: Pakistan’s Struggle for Transparency and Accountability
A range of obscure and sinister events are emerging in Pakistan with the finding of corruption in relation to former Prime Minister Imran Khan, who was sentenced to three years in prison for receiving gifts that were sold for cash in the region of 500,000 USD. Earlier in the year, Imran Khan was thrown into jail for allegations of corruption, but the Supreme Court quashed that verdict, and he was set free two days later. Imran Khan currently languishes in Attock prison.
As these events unfolded yesterday, I was deeply concerned, and I could feel a sense of doom among Pakistanis not only at home but also abroad, of which there are many millions. But it is impossible not to feel what Imran Khan and the future of Pakistan sense at this crucial juncture in its history. Never has Pakistan needed stability and dedicated leadership in its time more than presently, and no one has demonstrated any aptitude to deliver precisely that except for the immensely popular Imran Khan, who has been a national hero in relation to sports and charity for the better part of the last four decades. There will never be a person like Imran Khan in the history of politics again. Some of this may be accused of being blindly devoted, but I have been watching Pakistani politics very closely ever since the early 1990s. I admired Benazir Bhutto simply because she was a woman who had a vision — the first ever Muslim woman Prime Minister in a Muslim majority country — but ultimately she was unable to introduce the reforms that were necessary, and with an unsettling track record in relation to her husband, Asif Zardari, she went down a dark path that led to her demise twice in the 1990s. Nawaz Sharif, who is the brother of the current Prime Minister of Pakistan, has had his own chequered history not once, not twice, but at least three times, with the Panama Papers and Fontgate revealing the extent of the fraud, embezzlement, and sheer corruption at the heart of his reigns.
Discussions in relation to corruption in Pakistan, which have occurred as long as my working analytical memory has existed in relation to studying its society and politics, go back all the way to the early 1990s, when both Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif were routinely dismissed from government due to allegations and findings of corruption. Presently, it is Nawaz Sharif’s brother Shehbaz Sharif who is at the helm of Pakistan as prime minister until the middle of this month, when the assembly will be dissolved in preparation for national elections sometime in November. But if the Imran Khan guilty verdict stands, he will never be able to run for office again. The likelihood of a new regime made up of a cohort of established politicians and emerging religious authorities could lead to more problems for the nation as it grapples with inflation, debt problems, uneven economic growth, and systematic concerns around taxation, representation, and the legitimate rule of law. Pakistan is the fifth-most populous country in the world (240 million people), and the population is set to grow to 350 million by 2035.
If we are serious about dealing with corruption, what does history tell us? Nawaz Sharif has faced multiple corruption charges that have significantly impacted his political career and the political landscape of Pakistan. He has been found guilty on several occasions and sentenced to prison terms. One of the major corruption cases against Sharif relates to the purchase of Al-Azizia Steel Mills. Prosecutors alleged that the Sharif family misused government funds to buy the mills, which were then used to launder money, evade tax, and hide offshore assets. This case led to Sharif being sentenced to seven years in prison and fined $25 million. Another significant case was related to the revelations from the Panama Papers in 2017. Although he was not directly named in the documents, Sharif was linked to offshore accounts and overseas properties owned by three of his adult children. These assets were not declared on the family’s wealth statement, leading to Sharif being ordered to step down as Prime Minister by the country’s Supreme Court. These corruption cases have had a profound impact on politics in Pakistan. Sharif’s convictions have led to him being barred from politics, and his party, the Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N), has faced significant challenges. His daughter, Maryam, who was seen as his heir apparent, was also found guilty of corruption charges and barred from politics for ten years. The corruption allegations and subsequent convictions have not only affected the Sharif family’s political fortunes but have also led to widespread protests and fuelled public debates about corruption and accountability in Pakistan’s political system.
Apart from Nawaz Sharif and Imran Khan, other senior political leaders like Asif Ali Zardari and Shehbaz Sharif have also faced corruption probes and convictions over the years. The repeated corruption allegations against top political leaders have damaged public trust in the democratic system in Pakistan. The military has often cited corruption as justification for interfering in politics. However, many analysts argue corruption is widespread across Pakistan’s political and bureaucratic class, and no party or leader is immune. Weak rules of law and compromised accountability mechanisms enable corruption. The convictions of Imran and Nawaz may be politically expedient moves by the establishment to weaken their popularity. But tackling systemic corruption requires comprehensive reforms, not just targeting individuals. The unending corruption allegations also point to the need for political stability, policy continuity, and building strong institutions that are transparent and accountable to the public.
Imran Khan’s aims ever since he entered politics in 1996, when he established his political party, have been to focus on justice and development. One of the main themes of his approach has been to highlight corruption and weed it out of the institutions in Pakistan’s society, politics, and economy. This was always a tremendously tall order with so many layers, compounded by the fact that Pakistan’s army has more power and authority than any army anywhere in the world. When one considers the extent of the industrial-military complex in the United States and how it has effectively engineered US foreign policy ever since the end of the Second World War, it has never really meddled in domestic politics. The Pakistani army has meddled more in domestic politics than it was ever designed to do, and so arguably one element of corruption is to break down some of these structures, introduce wide-ranging practices at root and branch, and tackle institutional norms at the very core. But the man who put fighting corruption at the centre of his political career, Khan, languishes in jail, with the world aghast at the shenanigans of a country that is dear to many but so distant to its own people.
Given this situation, the future of Pakistani politics seems uncertain. The corruption charges and subsequent arrest of Imran Khan have undoubtedly shaken the political landscape. Despite his conviction, Khan continues to have a significant following, which could lead to continued unrest and protests. Furthermore, this event may have a ripple effect, causing the public and authorities to scrutinise other politicians more closely for potential corruption, which could lead to further political instability. However, it is also possible that this could lead to a period of significant political reform in Pakistan. The public’s reaction to Khan’s arrest shows an ardent desire for a corruption-free political system. This could push other politicians and political parties to adopt stricter anti-corruption policies and promote transparency in their operations. In any case, the impact of these events on Pakistani politics will depend on how the different political parties, the judiciary, and the public react in the coming months. It is a complex situation with many moving parts, and the ultimate outcome is difficult to predict with certainty.
Imran Khan remains immensely popular, especially among the youth, despite his conviction. His base sees the case as politically motivated. This means he will continue to be a formidable political force. However, his conviction may weaken his electoral prospects in the next general election, expected in late 2023. Being disqualified from public office could limit his ability to lead his party, PTI, in the elections. Khan claims to be a victim of the Shehbaz Sharif-led ‘imported government’. He will use this narrative to galvanise his base against the current government. This could worsen political polarisation. The conviction sets a precedent for accountability, regardless of political status. But critics argue the process seems selective, as other leaders with corruption cases remain unaffected. There are concerns that the conviction could trigger political instability or protests by Khan’s supporters demanding early elections. However, the military wants to avoid such disruptions.
Looking ahead, corruption is likely to remain a major campaign and governance issue. But the political will for transparent accountability remains doubtful under the current system. Reducing corruption requires multi-partisan resolve for reforms in areas like tax administration, public procurement, and judicial independence. Such cooperation seems unlikely, given the polarisation. While Khan’s conviction itself is unlikely to radically improve governance, it highlights the need for systemic reforms to strengthen transparency, the rule of law, and democratic accountability in Pakistan’s corruption-prone political system. But achieving this requires political stability and inclusive, participatory democracy.
