Ministerial
Saturday, June 6, 2009
Saturday, June 06, 2009
misdemeanour
The inquiry commission set up to look into the incident involving a Punjab government minister who refused to allow the baggage of a friend who had arrived at Lahore airport from Bangkok to be scanned is instructive. Rather than looking into facts, a main focus for the inquiry commission, comprising two former MNAs and two bureaucrats, seems to have been to clear the minister at all costs. The media reports concerning the airport incident, which involved an exchange of harsh words between Chaudhry Abdul Ghafoor, the concerned minister, and customs staff, had insinuated he whisked away his friend's luggage to cover up a smuggling attempt. These reports could indeed be inaccurate. The media, we must admit, is not always right and not always entirely balanced. But the conclusion reached in the report is ludicrous. It maintains the minister had no notion that taking the 'Green Channel' option at airports did not mean custom's had no right to search baggage. Had this indeed been the case, smuggling of banned items – including narcotics – would be child's play for criminal elements around the world. It seems hard to believe this did not strike a man who deals regularly with law-breakers in his role as prison's minister.
Given that a public scene of considerable ugliness took place at the airport, the finding by the inquiry commission that the media 'blew the incident out of proportion' also seems entirely unfair. It is of course the primary task of the media to act as a watchdog and keep the public informed. It may sometimes make mistakes, but the commission's report does nothing to persuade us that this is indeed what happened in the case of the unpleasant matter at hand. There is no explanation as to why the minister lost his cool. The setting up of the inquiry commission marks some progress. At least such happenings are no longer brushed under the carpet or robustly denied. For this, the media deserves credit. The fact that the skirmish at the airport was broadcast by TV channels forced the government to react. But there is still a long way to go. If they are to acquire credibility, such inquiries must genuinely aim at seeking out the facts. Conducting them merely as an eye-wash does more harm than good. The reputation of the minister will not be salvaged by a report no one believes. This is something we need to realize so that we can move towards a system based on real accountability and the good governance that comes with it.
Source
misdemeanour
The inquiry commission set up to look into the incident involving a Punjab government minister who refused to allow the baggage of a friend who had arrived at Lahore airport from Bangkok to be scanned is instructive. Rather than looking into facts, a main focus for the inquiry commission, comprising two former MNAs and two bureaucrats, seems to have been to clear the minister at all costs. The media reports concerning the airport incident, which involved an exchange of harsh words between Chaudhry Abdul Ghafoor, the concerned minister, and customs staff, had insinuated he whisked away his friend's luggage to cover up a smuggling attempt. These reports could indeed be inaccurate. The media, we must admit, is not always right and not always entirely balanced. But the conclusion reached in the report is ludicrous. It maintains the minister had no notion that taking the 'Green Channel' option at airports did not mean custom's had no right to search baggage. Had this indeed been the case, smuggling of banned items – including narcotics – would be child's play for criminal elements around the world. It seems hard to believe this did not strike a man who deals regularly with law-breakers in his role as prison's minister.
Given that a public scene of considerable ugliness took place at the airport, the finding by the inquiry commission that the media 'blew the incident out of proportion' also seems entirely unfair. It is of course the primary task of the media to act as a watchdog and keep the public informed. It may sometimes make mistakes, but the commission's report does nothing to persuade us that this is indeed what happened in the case of the unpleasant matter at hand. There is no explanation as to why the minister lost his cool. The setting up of the inquiry commission marks some progress. At least such happenings are no longer brushed under the carpet or robustly denied. For this, the media deserves credit. The fact that the skirmish at the airport was broadcast by TV channels forced the government to react. But there is still a long way to go. If they are to acquire credibility, such inquiries must genuinely aim at seeking out the facts. Conducting them merely as an eye-wash does more harm than good. The reputation of the minister will not be salvaged by a report no one believes. This is something we need to realize so that we can move towards a system based on real accountability and the good governance that comes with it.
Source
Labels: Ch Abdul Ghafoor, Justice, Parlimentarians, PML(N), Punjab Minister
posted @ 9:02 AM,
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