On the face of it, someone merely followed the tacky script of the celebrity endorsement of a real estate firm, scheme or other property venture. Only it was the deputy speaker of the National Assembly recording this video, but he was doing it in his office, before the national flag, almost as if it was an official endorsement. True, there seems no reason why anyone should trust Mr Suri’s judgment on real estate, but it also constituted the very sort of conflict of interest that Mr Suri’s party, the PTI, and party chief, Prime Minister Imran Khan, condemned so roundly before coming to office, and which he promised so positively to end if elected.
It is unfortunate that Mr Suri is not an isolated example. One real estate tycoon gained NAB clearance, while he was so strong a contender for the Punjab Chief Minister that he was appointed Senior Minister. There is an assumption in the government that real estate has taken employment on its shoulders in the covid-19 pandemic. No doubt this has been spread by the real-estate lobby which has obtained so many tax benefits and immunities for itself. Like other mafias, it seems this too has nested itself in the highest echelons of the party that had promised to oust it. When a real-estate mogul gifts an ex-President a house in Lahore in one of his housing schemes, he is looking forward to benefiting from the relationship thus developed.
There have already been signs of real-estate moguls being likely to cause a major scandal to explode, with a PM’s Adviser (since resigned) involved in the Rawalpindi Ring Road acquisitions. Mr Khan also must realise that expertise may have developed only because of interests, and thus divesting themselves of all interests should be essential.
The government must act strongly to prevent conflicts of interest, not to prevent decision-makers being influenced by their commercial interests, but to save the public from the revolting sight of a minister in action at his favourite restaurant, or some Adviser doing an inane ad for a brand of washing powder. The government has been letting too many business interests dominate its politics for much too long.
