By Maesam Khan
After the disqualification of former Prime Minister Yusaf Raza Gailani by Supreme Court of Pakistan, Raja Pervaiz Ashraf – commonly know as ‘Raja Rental’ in Pakistani media, sworn in as new Prime Minister. Gailani was convicted of contempt for refusing to reopen an old corruption case against president Zardari. The case against the president relates to kickbacks he and his late wife, the former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, allegedly received from Swiss companies when Bhutto was in power in the 1990s and they were found guilty in absentia in a Swiss court in 2003. ‘For reasons to be recorded later, the prime minister is found guilty of contempt for willfully flouting the direction of the Supreme Court,’ said Justice Nasir-ul-Mulk in a statement.
After disqualification of Gailani, the ruling Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) nominated Raja Pervaiz Ashraf for the most high profile position of the country. Raja was Federal Minister for Water and Power in the Gilani-led cabinet from March 2008 to February 2011 and a senior leader of PPP from Rawalpindi District. Initially, the ruling party nominated the textile minister Makhdoom Shahbuddin to replace Gailani but the nomination failed when Pakistan Anti Narcotics Force issued arrest warrants for Shahbuddin on drugs charges. Later on Raja was nominated and elected by National Assembly as 17th Prime Minister of Pakistan. One after the other, Raja Pervaiz could be asked by the SC of Pakistan to reopen the old corruption cases against President Zardari and most likely he will follow the foot prints of the former PM.
‘Raja Rental’ oversaw expensive ‘rental power’ projects that generated very little power and faced heavy criticism for repeatedly promising the country’s power crisis would be over ‘by December’ as the country suffered regular blackouts. He has been accused of receiving ‘kickbacks’ in the rental power projects, and of using illegal money to buy foreign property. It has been observed that Pakistani nation is not happy with their ‘Rental’ PM though he came into power through National Assembly. It seems as if the ruling party is under ‘one man show’ and their political agenda is to protect and encourage the corrupt ruling elite of the country. Coming of such convicted and corrupt politicians into power is a wakeup call for Pakistani nation and they have the power to turn up this practice for the future.
