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Why we should not take bribe Catastrophe! A Ruined Life in the Aftermath of Corruption
The Conference of the Bird
Ideal life of the Holy Prophet (PBUH)
About the Author
Mr. Muhammad Saleem Butt joined the Civil Services of Pakistan, as Income Tax Officer, after passing the Civil service examination in 1977. He served the Federal Board of Revenue in different capacities and various cities of Pakistan for thirty five years and retired as Director General Taxes FBR. He is a journalist and a writer, who is a dedicated and compassionate individual and wants to improve upon the denigrating state of affairs of Pakistan. He has written many books on various topics, but according to him the most vicious problem in Pakistan is that of Corruption. He wrote these books to improve the public service image that is devoid of good governance because of the endemic called Corruption. The present book “Chaos in Governance” includes the account of his struggle against bad governance. He retired in 2013 and has been writing ever since, now even more than before for the just cause and in order to provide a service to the nation. His new Book “Terrorism and plight of Muslim Ummah” will yet again prove to be a land mark book for the world at large.
Other publications by the Author
CH
AO
S IN
GO
VE
RN
AN
CE
A True Story with Evidence
Muham
mad Saleem
Butt
Director G
eneral (Retd) (Taxes)
Federal Board of R
evenue, G
overnment of Pakistan
“Chaos in Governance” is a book, the thesis of which is well planned and is timely written, the need of which was urgently felt in Today’s Pakistan. The time is ripe for the Islamic religious revival because all the man made modes for improving the quality of life have failed. The bureaucracy, leaders and the Capitalist class who are a linchpin of every society should take lessons from the Injunction of Quran of Sunnah. This aspect have been researched and beautifully applied in the book on social behavior of the above three classes of the society. The Society is decaying very fast making the youth of today barren, lifeless and imperceptible to hard work. The author has not left the readers in lurch as he has provided the Godly divine solutions to multifarious problems that are being faced by everyone in the prevalent depressing and despondent state of affairs in Pakistan and Muslims in general. The ball is now in the People’s court and at the outset, what is pertinent here is that how sooner do we profess and practice these divinely modes objectively which will Insha Allah bring the desired results as is required for the survival of the state.
Prof. Ahmed Rafiq Akhtar
| i
Chaos in
Governance
Terrifying act of a personal vendetta and victimization committed by the FBR bureaucracy, and a highly
politicized Police Service of Pakistan against a civil servant which includes real life account (CD) with sufferings in
which he wrestled with the system of governance and single handedly fought for his rights to get Justice sacrificing his
personal and public life.
Written by
Muhammad Saleem Butt Director General (Retd) (Taxes)
Federal Board of Revenue, Government of Pakistan
ii |
The Holy Qur’an describes life of the Holy Prophet (PBUH) as;
كثريا واليوم اآلخر وذكر ا أسوة حسنة ملن �ان يرجو ا لقد �ان لكم يف رسول ا“Truly, in the Allah’s messenger, you Have an excellent example”
(Surah Al-Ahzab, Ayat-21).
CHAOS
IN
GOVERNANCE
Where it is heading to!
By
Muhammad Saleem Butt (Retd) Director General (Retd) F.B.R
Email: [email protected] URL: www.Islahumah.com
Edited by
Fatima Saleem Butt LL.B., LL.M., London
Printed at: The Times Press (Private) Limited, Karachi-Pakistan
Designing & Layout: Mohsin Muhammad Hanif
Copyright © 2015 All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or utilized in any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy and recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the author.
| iii
Contents
About the Book............................................................................................................... 1
Acknowledgment ........................................................................................................... 3
Preface ............................................................................................................................ 5
Chapter 1: Auto Biographical Account of My Public Service ................................... 7
Appreciation Letters ................................................................................................ 12
Chronological Order of Events of the Debacle – An Open Letter to the
Prime Minister of Pakistan ...................................................................................... 22
Legal Notice to Counteract Threats ........................................................................ 25
Letter Written to Chairman FBR .............................................................................. 28
Illegality of the FBR ................................................................................................. 37
Media Role .............................................................................................................. 42
News Story for Ansar Abbasi ............................................................................. 42
Un-Published Letters in Newspapers ................................................................ 48
Chapter 2: Try for Legal Remedy............................................................................... 52
Petition by the Author’s Mother ............................................................................... 52
Petition by Author’s Daughter ................................................................................. 56
Chapter 3: Bureaucracy Do you know what you are? ............................................. 61
Bureaucracy in Islam .............................................................................................. 61
Rationale of Bureaucracy ........................................................................................ 64
The Policy Crises .................................................................................................... 74
A Brief Overview of Bureaucracy ............................................................................ 77
Conclusion .............................................................................................................. 81
Chapter 4: Judiciary .................................................................................................... 82
Courts and Politics: Pre-1999 Entanglements ......................................................... 83
The Supreme Court and the 12th October 1999 Coup ........................................... 84
High Profile Corruption Cases; Breaking All Time Records .................................... 85
iv |
Chapter 5: Police .......................................................................................................... 90
A Short History of Police ......................................................................................... 90
Some Extracts from the Supreme Court’s Karachi Law and Order
Case ........................................................................................................................ 91
Chapter 6: The Hidden Causes of Societal Decay ................................................... 99
The Rise of Mischief/Disorders and Sign of Resurrection ....................................... 99
How to be Safe from the Existing Torments .......................................................... 107
The other Hidden Cause of Decay is Failure of various Modes of social
orders in providing remedy to the man .................................................................. 109
Stock of Human facilities ....................................................................................... 110
Finding Answers through various Civilizations ...................................................... 110
Materialistic Civilization ......................................................................................... 113
Intellectual Civilization ........................................................................................... 114
Consequences of Materialism in the 21st century .................................................. 115
More about West ................................................................................................... 115
Mystical Civilization ............................................................................................... 121
Mysticism .............................................................................................................. 121
Philosophy ............................................................................................................ 122
Dialectics ............................................................................................................... 123
Mysticism in Islam ................................................................................................. 123
Background Analysis ............................................................................................. 124
Key to the Personality of Dajjal ........................................................................ 125
The Two World-Views ........................................................................................... 129
Revelatory Civilization: The Need for Divine (Godly) Intervention the
only source of knowledge to Reform ..................................................................... 131
The Prophets of God ............................................................................................. 131
Universe and its Creator ....................................................................................... 135
Message of Prophet Lay Emphasis on Life After Death ........................................ 137
Prophet Hood: Its Nature and Necessity ............................................................... 137
The Divine Revelatory Framework have a ............................................................ 139
Compatibility with all things in the Universe including the humans on
certain grounds and characteristics ....................................................................... 139
| v
Surat-ul-Kahf is a story of struggle between Faith and Materialism ..................... 144
Surah Kahf Part I - The Story of The Cave ........................................................... 144
Victory of Faith over Materialism The Youth of Kahf are Successful till the Day of Judgment ....................................................................................... 152
Extremism and Exaggeration........................................................................... 154
Surah Kahf Part II - Story of the Owner of two Gardens ....................................... 155
What Are The Lessons Of The Recorded Qurani Story Of Kahf? ......................... 157
Quran and the Life of the World ............................................................................ 157
Surah Kahf Part III – The Story of Moses and Khidhr ........................................... 161
Surah Kahf Part IV - Zul-Qarnain .......................................................................... 164
Part V - Practical Demonstration of the Hidden Causes of Societal
Decay/Wide disparity between Power and Morality .............................................. 172
Chapter 7: Misuse of Scientific Invention ............................................................... 175
Destructive Nature of Scientific Inventions ............................................................ 176
Development or Decay? ....................................................................................... 178
Delusions: ............................................................................................................. 178
Chapter 8: Divine Revelatory Order for business .................................................. 183
Difference between Measure and Weighing ......................................................... 188
Business and Trade in Islam (In the Light of Some Hadiths) ............................... 191
Chapter 9: Riba / Usury ............................................................................................ 194
Usury/ INTEREST IN ISLAM ................................................................................. 194
The Historic Judgment on Interest Delivered in the Supreme Court of
Pakistan ................................................................................................................ 195
Repercussion of Interest on the World Economics ............................................... 280
How the Present Crisis Emerged .......................................................................... 297
Causes and Remedies .......................................................................................... 298
Chapter 10: Corruption ............................................................................................. 302
Quranic injunctions on Corruption ......................................................................... 302
Some Hadiths ....................................................................................................... 303
Some misconceptions and wrong notions about Corruption ................................. 303
What about acquired bribe in the past? ................................................................ 304
vi |
Chapter 11: Reformatory Framework ...................................................................... 306
What can possibly be done about corruption ........................................................ 306
Modern Apologists are there in every Society ....................................................... 312
Interview in a Reformatory Frame work on Corruption .......................................... 314
Prophet as a Leader .............................................................................................. 320
Leading from the front ........................................................................................... 321
Revelatory Framework for the Judiciary ................................................................. 331
Conciliation and Dispute Resolution in Islam ........................................................ 331
Alternate Dispute Resolution ADRC ...................................................................... 332
Conclusion ............................................................................................................ 339
Epilogue ................................................................................................................ 341
From the Editor’s Desk .............................................................................................. 345
Mst Fatima Saleem Butt (Lawyer) ......................................................................... 345
About the Author from the Chairperson Al-Imdad Trust Marium Saleem
Butt ........................................................................................................................ 346
Gift of Countless Treasure ........................................................................................ 348
Number of Beautiful Names and the benefits of memorizing them ....................... 350
Gift of Wisdom from The Holy Prophet (PBUH) ..................................................... 356
Review on Other Books by Author ........................................................................... 359
Why we should not take Bribe ............................................................................... 359
Catastrophe! A Ruined Life in the after math of Corruption ................................... 361
The Conference of the Bird ................................................................................... 363
Seerat-a-Taiba ...................................................................................................... 364
Bibliography ................................................................................................................ 368
Compact Disk .............................................................................................................. 369
Chaos in Governance
| 1
About the Book
Professor Abid Hafiz USA
This is a thought provoking book written by a retired bureaucrat who identified
the path of a successful life focusing his vision on the eternal life after death. The
success of life depends, on how one live in this world as a better Muslim, and that can
happen only if he submits completely to the dictates of Allah.
This can be understood aptly by Surah Al-Maidah part of Ayat 2 “This day have I
perfected your religion for you and completed my favour un to you and have chosen for you as
Religion Al-Islam”. The last Prophet (PBUH) on earth that has established a religion
received its name. Is there any “certification better than the above verse of the Holy
Quran? Islam stresses more in the observance of its principle than rituals, the
philosophy of which lies in Tauheed i.e. the Oneness of God and a deep and strong
communion with the way of the last Prophet (PBUH), who has explained everything to
his Ummah and did not leave even a trivial matter to his followers to deal with He has
taught each and every way of life whatever circumstance the world was to face in the
future.
The author’s personal and public account of life Prime- facie appears theatrical for
everyone but on getting to know a few things after reading his autobiography, his
perservance and strength of mind to endure such ordeal and upheavals is very visible.
It is very brave of him to have provided evidence of his life’s episodes and the
Court cases bear, testimony to his tumultuous life. He sacrificed his entire life and was
an example for his fellowman i.e. bureaucrats, leaders and businessmen The author’s
analysis of the hidden causes of the decay in moral and ethical standards set by the
society to-day by its own choice and exigencies has been beautifully reasoned by him
with the help of the Quran and Sunnah. It is not sufficient just to say to anybody,
“Resort to Quran and Sunnah”. Rather it has to be divinely explained with examples
from the past Ummah’s failures which were encountered when they ignored divine
guidance. The crux of the matter is how analytically these causes can make people
understand Faith against materialism this has been the focal issue at all times reaching
its highest level today in the 21st century; it would culminate by the coming of the
Dajjah which is explained vividly in Surah Kahf, that also tells about the hidden aspect
we do not understand it today.
Chaos in Governance
2 |
For a Muslims, “Eat, Drink and be Merry” cannot be a way of life particularly, if
Eating, Drinking and making Merry is done with money acquired through deceit fraud,
dishonesty and manipulation. How the Leaders, public service personnel and the elite
and business class, can improve the denigrating conditions of the decaying social order
has been provided in the divine revelatory commandments which can fit in any age and
circumstance. The bureaucrats and other classes can contribute to improve and to bring
about a Corruption free environment that is provided in the reformatory framework a
way forward to eliminate Corruption The author’s interview on Corruption is the best I
have read so fear What the real characteristic of leaders should be, can be learnt by the
traits as mentioned in the book which is a thought provoking account with sound
research on the qualities of Leadership as entailed by the Quran and Sunnah.
The avaricious criminal and civil system of Law needs an urgent change The
Supreme Court decision on the Karachi law and order situation is appalling but how to
change this aspect of life is a Million Dollar Question? The suggestion to introduce ADR
in the judicial system in Pakistan is the need of the hour because the judicial system is
incapable of handing the magnitude of cases rising mainly due to digression in the
moral, ethical and human repose in the society which is drifting away from Islam.
The devastating impacts of interest / Usury (Riba) have been excellently
explained by summarizing a lengthy Supreme Court order, which should be a part of
curriculum at some level of education. The way a business should be conducted in
Islam is briefly dilated upon. His way of explaining the high handedness of the three
classes of the society the leaders, the bureaucrats and the elite business class through
the verses of Surah Qasas has strengthened the thesis of the book; Of course the right
minded people in these segments today of the three classes spelt out in the Surah have
become dormant because focus of the government today have shifted more towards
worldly matters. The “Chaos in Governance” is an attempt to understand the matters of
governance and to improve upon such a mighty issue which needs an inner change of
mind and heart that is only possible if a zealous reformatory effort is brought about
which is not possible to bring about a change only by deploying modern Muslims
academicians who are quacks as far as the correct understanding of Islam is concerned.
Chaos in Governance
| 3
Acknowledgment
There are many people who are trapped in serious problems today. The
denigrating conditions of the society are the primary reason for the downfall of
Pakistan. The question to be asked is as to how the young generation will cope with the
numerous problems that are presented to them in their legacy. Reformatory endeavors
are essential to bring about the changes in the people who are inclined to improve their
existing conditions to a more ideal way of life, as envisaged by the Holy Quran and
Sunnah. Mr. Abad-ur-Rehman Abbasi, Obaid-ur-Rehman Abbasi have taught me the
basics of Islam and under their guidance I have tackled the grave problem of corruption
and interest. Guidance in Surah Kahf and Surah Qasas has been derived from the audio
commentary of Altaf Rehman Abbasi as well. When people are in the company of the
pious, then Allah who is the most Benevolent, showers His blessing to reform people
and guides them to the right path.
My heartfelt thanks are for Mrs. Naeema Chief Librarian Pakistan Administrative
Staff College, where I attended the 85th MNC course in 2005. She provided me with
some material regarding bureaucracy and reforms undertaken in the past. I would like
to dedicate my efforts to the institutions I have studied in, St. Anthony’s High School,
FC College and Government College Lahore. I have written five books in the past and
this Insha’Allah is my 6th venture. A passing reference to NIPA is also quite relevant
here, as I attended a promotion course from grade 19 to 20 in 1999.
I am highly indebted to my daughter Fatima Saleem who has helped me
immensely in writing this book. She once again undertook the task of editing and proof
reading, as she has been doing so in the past and has managed to effectively tackle the
issue at hand. Marium Saleem and Noor-ul-Huda Saleem, my two other daughters
manage Al-Imdad Welfare Trust, which mainly deals with the problems of the
impoverished. Along with that, they manage to hold seminars in various universities
and other forums to promote my cause, which I am highly grateful for. I have always
admired my son Owais Saleem’s tenacity; he being a Hafiz-e-Quran arranges meetings
with like-minded people, so that a spiritual awakening takes place in the youth of
today.
I would like to thank Arif, the stenographer at LTU Karachi, Yousuf the typist
who has helped me in composing this book. A vote of thanks to Mr. Khalil Ashraf
Usmani, owner of a publication house who provided some of the Islamic literature. The
trustees of Al-Imdad Welfare Trust are a source of motivation, which has enabled me to
Chaos in Governance
4 |
work more diligently. A special mention should be made for Jamil-ur-Rehman who has
always been encouragement personified. Mr. Rehmat-Ullah Wazir-Chief
Commissioner, LTU was kind enough to go through the prologue of the book, which I
emailed to him rather excitedly and he responded in an enthusiastically positive way.
Mr. Basharat Ullah Qureshi CIR Karachi has also been very instrumental in providing
his useful input. Mr. Aleem (advocate) General Secretary Income Tax Bar Association
Karachi, Mr. Adnan Siddiqui has supported me in my endeavors, so deserves a special
mention as well. Media manager Mr. Shabbir, (ITO) a worthy mention to him in
introducing my books in the Arts Council Karachi
There are many people whose indispensable support has enabled me to write this
book, without their help and encouragement I would not have been able to write it
from such a different perspective, nor would I have been able to provide a workable
strategy for the people of Pakistan. This country has been in a state of turmoil and has
been in a beleaguered state since the past sixty-seven years. I have tried to provide a
way forward, so that the current fiasco we are engulfed in can come to an end. The
name of the book was chosen with the consensus of opinion. Initially I decided that the
title would be “Case of mismanaged Bureaucracy: Sacrifice in the line of Duty”, but
later I realized that the convex of the book was much larger, so I decided to name it
“Chaos in governance- Where it is heading to!
Once again a big thank you to all my comrades and supporters! Without your
help this book would have been but a distant dream!
Muhammad Saleem Butt
Chaos in Governance
| 5
Preface
The preface contains two Hadiths of the Holy Prophet, which prompted me to
write this book in the first place.
Help the oppressor and the oppressed-
The Prophet (PBUH) said: “Help thy brother, whether he is the oppressor or the
oppressed”, his companions could not restrain themselves. They asked: “O Prophet of
God, verily, we ought to help an oppressed brother but how should we help if he be
oppressor”? “Stop him from oppression,” the Prophet (PBUH) of Islam declared in
unequivocal term: “He is not of us who gives a call in the cause of partisanship; he is
not of us who dies in the cause of partisanship; and he is not of us who fights in the
cause of partisanship.” When one of the companions requested the Prophet (PBUH) to
elucidate what he exactly meant by “partisanship”, the Prophet (PBUH) replied: “It
means helping your own people in an unjust cause.”
THE REWARD FOR DOING GOOD DURING TRIALS AND DISORDERS
Hazrat Abu Hurairah (R.A) had narrated that the Holy Prophet (PBUH) said:
“You are in a period of time in which you are sure to perish when you neglect even one-tenth of what you have been ordered to do. Thereafter a time will come when a man will attain salvation, even if he acts upon only one-tenth of what he has been ordered to do. To remain steadfast on Deen (Faith) in those days will be like holding embers of fire in one’s hands. The reward for worship during the days of disorders and trials will be equal to the reward for migrating to me.” (Al-Tirmizi).
It is the need of the hour to cater to the righteous people, but more importantly it
is required to work on the minds of the disobedient, those who are the breakers of the
moral and ethical codes of Islam. These are the people who are the primary targets of
my endeavor. I pray in earnest that my dedicated effort becomes a source of Hidayah
for everyone! Ameen!
I have made a frail attempt to write this book from a Didactic angle. I believe that
people should learn from their mistakes, as well as from the others too. I have concisely
narrated an autobiographical account of my public life of thirty-five years along with a
certified testimonial.
Chaos in Governance
6 |
The framework of divine revelatory orders corners all segments of the society;
primary references are for the leaders, be it in the public or private bureaucracies. It has
been answered by tracing the efforts of the Prophet Moosa (A.S) fighting tyramical
leader (Pharaoh) repressive bureaucrat (Haman) and elite Capitalist class (Kuran)
which effect all classes, and it further elucidates the above forces were defeated, all is
mentioned in Surah Qasas Para 20 emphasis is laid on as to why divine revelatory order
is the only way out.
Every reference has been taken from the Quran and Sunnah; between the divine
instructions there is a need to refrain from the epidemic of corruption and to
understand the holocaust of interest and usury. Devastating impact of these larcenous
activities has been presented before the readers; corruption and interest have ransacked
the globe. The need of the hour is to stand up against these killer viruses and the only
way to do so is to combat them with the divine medication sent by Allah.
An effective judicial reform for promoting speedy justice is the most urgent task
to be undertaken. There should be access to alternate dispute resolution and other cost
effective remedial measures such as Suo Moto action writs u/s 184(3), less expensive
modes of litigation, mediation, arbitration and reconciliation. The question to be asked
is why is there no provision of time barred appeals in civil and criminal matter?
Prolonged, expensive litigation is the order of the day. The Supreme Court decisions as
far as the law and order situation in Karachi is concerned, have only been included as a
tip of the iceberg. The police service needs further reform. These decisions are
theoretically sound but there is a need for practical and enforceable effort from the top
to reform the police. The prologue provides a gist of the whole book, so the readers can
review the material before actually reading it.
I have made a feeble attempt to apply the experience of thirty-five years to find
answers to many questions that have been raised in the book all along. The answers
that may arise in the course of time are entirely dependent on building a moral,
spiritual and standardized life pattern in lines to that of the beloved Holy Prophet’s
(PBUH).
الة وأمر باملعروف وانه عن املنكر واصرب �� ما أصابك أقم الص يا بين ذلك من عزم األمور ۱۷إن
“O Son! Perform thy prayers regularly; and command people to do good deeds, and
prevent them from forbidden things, and bear patiently whatever befalls you (in
the preaching of Truth): undoubtedly this demands courage!” (Surah Luqman: 17)
Chaos in Governance
| 7
Chapter 1:
Auto Biographical Account
of My Public Service
Choosing civil service as a career had a different connotation in the seventies
when I decided to appear in the civil services examination. To-day everyone is keen in
the race to join the Civil Service of Pakistan. There are Quota’s for forces personnel, etc
people are inducted through political patronage; there is no bar for the doctors,
lawyers, Chartered Accountants and Engineers to Join the Civil services of Pakistan. A
wider convex to the buildup of the Civil service Cadre should have improved the
quality and the performance standards of the Bureaucracy. The position is however not
encouraging, there is steep fall in the standard of Civil service of Pakistan.
The Frame of mind to get into the Civil service was much different back in the
day’s then what it is to-day. Sadiq Khan, my deceased father’s friend was a facilitator in
my decision to appear in the Civil services examination. He was a PCS officer working
as a section in charge in the Punjab Secretariat in Lahore. I knew late Sadiq Khan
closely; he resided in my neighborhood, was a dedicated young man with innumerable
qualities of the head and heart. A devoted religious man, he would wake up early in the
morning together with my father, and go to the Mosque to offer Fajar Prayers and
before sunrise, he recited some verses of Quran daily as well. Today, when I have learnt
the Tajweed (which is a subject to recite Quran correctly) I can safely say that he recited
the Quran correctly in line with the principle of Tajweed. The school syllabus of
Islamiyat, in those days comprised 30th Para of the Quran. Therefore reciting Quran
correctly, it was given from an early age.
I appeared in the CSS examination in 1977 and was selected as an Income tax
officer in the Fifth Common Training Program (Z.A Bhutto had earmarked common
training programs for all services in 1972 Administrative Reforms and 1977 batch was
the fifth from 1972).
The locality in which we resided was within the walled city of Lahore, the
Mughal heritage gate, commonly known as “MORI-GATE”
Let me reveal some details of my ancestral descent. My grandfather migrated
from Srinagar with his family he narrated tales of the persecution his family faced while
migrating from Srinagar to Lahore at the time of partition. The problems faced by my
grandmother’s family were not less agonizing as they too had migrated from Amritsar
(India) to Lahore. Sacrifices of fore-father’s family in the creation of Pakistan left an
indelible imprint on my life. I can still feel the heat of the sacrifices of my ancestors
1
Chaos in Governance
8 |
where I am fighting the corrupt system installed in place by the ruling class of Pakistan.
I am embroiled in many court cases which are a part and parcel of my Personal and
public account. The CD will narrate the blistering episodes of my life. I have paid the
price for being honest, dedicatedly poised has stood steadfast against the tyrannical
system of governance in Pakistan. Sacrifices have been made in my house, run in the
blood of the family who migrated from India, leaving the bread and butter and shelter
only to come to Pakistan in dire poverty to start afresh in an independent Pakistan. It
was the mission of my family to see the success of future generation and they left the
world in the hope that their children would see a prosperous country.
Upheaval and turmoil are part and parcel of life. What is relevant for Muslim
believers is to fight against the tyranny, injustice and to a grapple with the bad
governance; it is a prerequisite of every state to make provisions for effective services
for the masses at large. All of us know that Refunds of taxes in U.S.A are sent directly to
the addressee without any contact with the tax authorities. This is a kind of service that
is required in Pakistan.
There is a loss all around and I see dark clouds ahead of us Surah Asar Para 30
projects certain measures in order to come out of crisis. This Surah is a preamble for a
believer in fact it is the objective resolution of the Quran. In the name of Allah who is
excessively compassionate, extremely merciful.
1) By the ASR Called Zamana (All)
2) A pointedly Man is in loss?
3) But those who believed and did good deeds and counseled each after unto the
Right Religion and counseled other unto endurance?
Fighting against the system of bad governance largely depends upon how to
combat corruption that has become a way of life. It is a cancerous epidemic which has
spread around the globe. For the sake of my religious duty, I embarked on a crusade by
writing three books on Corruption during my public service. I knew I would be
subjected to persecution and intimidation yet I persevered. Believe me Readers I am
fighting this crusade single handedly, without any support from any quarter Fatima
Saleem Butt (LMM) my daughter who was in London in 2011, came back to help me.
She was informed by someone in the family that the Income Tax department had issued
a charge sheet again on me because I was fighting against corruption during my tenure.
After starting her practice in Law in 2013; Fatima Saleem Butt wrote a letter to the press
not published by the newspaper, expressing her thoughts in a candid lanner.
Chaos in Governance
| 9
LETTER TO EDITOR ‘DAWN’ - BETTER TO LEAVE
I have an LLM with merit from the University of London. It was a long distance
program which I financed out of my own earnings while I was writing for two
foreign websites suite 101.com (Canadian) and Asia writers (USA). After my
degree, I left Pakistan for good and went to London. I came back as my father; a
taxman was fighting a crusade against the FBR. He always had a very strong and
vociferous stance against corruption and bad governance. He suffered adverse
postings, thwarted promotions, upheavals, betrayal and faced ostracism by serving
under his juniors. His only fault was that he believed in an honest and upright
living, the proof of which is given to the nation in the form of three books, he has
written on corruption during his service. He should have been promoted to grade-
22, but his case was never heard in Suo Moto. I came back in 2012 and started
writing for various forums. I recently even went before the Supreme Court of
Pakistan u/s 184(3) for him, after a historical decision in Oriya Jan Maqbool case.
My father is down to earth an honest man. We as his children while following in his
footsteps have faced sarcastic remarks from people, as he was superseded thrice,
now people challenge his integrity. Due to all these reasons, I personally do not
want to stay in Pakistan but my father wants me to remain here. He is a writer, a
reformist and is deeply involved in improving the dismal state of Pakistan. I pray
that the Chief Justice kindly intervene and accord him an early hearing so that a
fair trial U/s 10(A) is accorded to him. My plight went unheard as the “Chief
Justice Help needed” was published in The Daily DAWN on 9th Nov 2013. Is love of
Pakistan a fault then? And is there a place for people like my father? If not so it is
better to leave the country for good.
With regards
Fatima Saleem Butt is my legal adviser. She was privy to the details of my family
life and by reading about the court cases was aware of the ill treatment of the Police
Service of Pakistan, Later on she came to know the role of FBR and how cruelly they
had treated and punished an innocent officer She wrote a letter from her office and
pointing the legal irregularities in the case. She knew that loosing grade 22 would not
deter father from his mission and was disgruntled due to the callousness of the
bureaucracy in Pakistan. Yet she complained about the civil society where not a single
person came to any body’s rescue or offer help. I asked her to forbear as Allah had
chosen me just like my fore-fathers to render sacrifice for my country. Sometimes I feel
that even when so many people knew my case, there were unfortunately no one from
the Political elite nor from the bureaucracy who provided me even with some moral
support therefore I had to go for a legal, remedy. The system for the provision of law in
Pakistan is excessively costlier and lengthy which to me is synonymous to denial of
Justice. Everyone who know me was surprised on at the debacle of my family life; I
faced criminal assault at the hands of a Police officer belonging to the fraternity of the
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Civil Service of Pakistan. Police service is the backbone of any country and should be
used to crush the criminal yet they become breakers of law.
The Fate accomplice for the last twenty years of my life is excessively painful that
was buried in the debris, I am revealing my episode after two decades because a reader
sent a strange letter after reading my book “Catastrophe! A Ruined Life in the After-
Math of Corruption”. I have a moral obligation to tender a reply to the letter written by
Muhammad Idress when he said and I quote his letter as follows:
Dear Butt Sahib,
I read your book “Catastrophe! A Ruined Life in the After Math of Corruption”. It is
a good attempt; on a complex subject of corruption. I have some reservation about
your Personal memoires Mentioned at page 169. Please forgive me for this
audacious comment. It was better if I had known you or verified your credentials
as you were D.G in the Income tax department. However I could not do so for more
than a year as I remained over preoccupied. Sir, whatever you have stated at page
169, to me it seems a Melodrama just like stories in daily News Paper or seeing a
serial in the television. I am sure that a man of your stature would not have
resorted to speak false to gain irrelevant sympathies from people like me.
With regards,
Muhammad Idress
I dedicate this part of the book to Mr. Muhammad Idress who wrote the letter
wanting an affidavit to prove my case.
This book, comprises a list of the all court cases and other documents that carry
official signature and stamps all circumstantial evidence in the Cassette digital (CD)
with an Index that is separately pasted in the book.
The rat race to earn money in this Materialistic world has taken its toll at on the
moral fabric of the society. Happy were the days in sixties, when the society boycotted
the non virtuous. Today the corrupt are honored as they have the money, whereas the
honest folks have lost grace and are socially ostracized and are thrown out of the
ongoing system to continue to fight with the status quo, The Honest people are
embroiled in litigation and fight court cases and the process of law is cumbersome,
expensive and slow and many people largely abandon their efforts due to this. I have
decided to continue fighting against the present system so that it may be replaced with
a better one in which Usurpers are punished and so the victimization of innocent
people can end. I have joined the Law College and hopefully I will be a lawyer in 2015. I
have never become a part of the prevailing system of the FBR in the past by the grace of
Chaos in Governance
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God, I can even suggest remedies for correcting the judicial system in Pakistan. It is said
that Kufr can survive but tyranny will die its own death eventually.
My Personal and public life is now an open book, this struggle will continue along
with the sacrifices. Allah has been very kind to me and has provided me forbearance,
fortitude and perseverance to stand and fight against the foul play which is
predominately entrenched in our social life to-day? After writing three books on
Corruption I started a public awareness programme which was a part of a strategy to
combat the ill and work as anti-corruption measure, I sent these book to many people
and the dignitaries of Pakistan as well I was elated because many of them appreciated
my effort and replied me back with positive response. These letters are precious gift for
me, and have helped in motivating me. It has furthermore given me opportunity to
write more for the cause and to serve Pakistan, with the Jihad of the Pen. I have
credited more foes then friends around me, this rare occasion in which I received the
appreciation letter from the highest echelons of the society, they acted as blessings in
disguise as suddenly everyone stopped there disparaging comments Some of the
Appreciation letters are included here for the readers.
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Appreciation Letters
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These letters along with books were sent to the social media as gifts, the purpose
was to bring the matter before the public at large. In this regard, I also wrote a lengthy
letter to Mr. Ansar Burney to publish a News story in the daily English paper “The
News” I would have regained my lost prestige had I won the case from in the court of
law, which is still pending to-date Many applications were sent to the Supreme Court
u/S 184(3) Suo Moto writs but it was all in vain. I am still waiting for the outcome that
is why I have taken the opportunity to write a book, a counter affidavit to get some
forum of redress.
Two application sent to the Supreme Court of Pakistan is part of the book, the rest
are available on in the CD. A Request for a Pro bono Public lawyer to assist me in the
case were made, before the Sindh High Court, The cases are still pending and a new
lawyer has to be arranged for unmitigated delay as the Pro bono lawyer abandoned the
case. High Cost of Litigation had compelled me to request for Pro bono court
proceeding as assistance to meet the cost of litigation had increased manifold as
compared to 1994 when I had been fighting seven cases in the High Court of Sindh.
Today litigation is a prerogative of the rich, the state of Pakistan was formed to provide
justice, fair play and equity which was absent in the Hindu Raj, in United India when
my family migrated to Pakistan.
Therefore the Question is “Are these cost effective remedies available in Pakistan
to a few elite only? Where did we falter? To me, I believe we made some promises with
God, to make Pakistan an Islamic state. Even it was mentioned in the Constitution of
Pakistan but we failed miserably on this front even to give it a try. Collective penitence
is required, the earlier we apologize to God, the easier it while be for us to rebuild
Pakistan.
Dear reader my auto geographical Account contains all certified copies. The book
is in itself a testimonial and I would not have taken the risk of writing unless
everything was completely authentic and acceptable under the Qunon-e-Shadat act.
Law of torts and the specific relief-act can provide me relief and damages from the
Government of Pakistan. The Supreme Court of Pakistan in its verdict in the Karachi
law and order situation has observed certain pre-conditions for the Suo Moto actions
mentioned in some part of the Book that applies in my case.
Despite suffering enormously in my life I still feel that I should contribute for the
poor down trodden people of Pakistan Fighting for a just cause is what makes a true
believer. I was treated mercilessly by the FBR which has been narrated in one of the
chapters in the book. It starts of with a letter written to the Chairman FBR, before my
retirement requesting him for the last time, to set up a committee to inquire into the
allegations. I had sent many letters in this regards from 2009 Onwards till the last
moment before I wrote this book I knew that nobody would read such a long letter
therefore I made up my mind to include it in my book. The letter written to FBR is
Chaos in Governance
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actually a autobiographical account of my service and life in the Income tax
Department This letter is a petition before the people’s court so that they know how
injustices have been created and there is chaos in the governance, everywhere
especially in the FBR.
Exposing my personal life before the readers became direly necessary as I
collected evidence, from all sources, The Plaintiff here is Muhammad Idress, who wrote
a letter as a rejoinder and Muhammad Saleem Butt author of the Book is a defendant in
a moment of sorrow and this Book is for the public consumption as a trail replay.
I stood up against the immoral behavior of a Police officer, and fought after for
the survival of my life (See CD) there were threat to my children, my life which
prompted me to write a letter to the Prime Minister of Pakistan requesting him to
intervene to apply break to the tyrannical Injustice being carried out by a Police man.
The short Resume stated above is related to my public life. My Personal life is a
sensitive subject and anyone would find it difficult to narrate these stories. The heart
aches and injuries and experiences adds to ill will and rarely forgotten over a time yet it
hurts when it is remembered. Whatever I suffered was my fortune, everyone should
learn from the moral of the episode for receiving it as a Didactic.
The chronological events of the un-fortunate incident of my personal life was
narrated to the Prime Minister in a letter requesting him to intervene and prevent this
malicious onslaught By sheer dint of luck I received a letter one day where the Prime
Minister of Pakistan had asked for a report from the Inspector General office Karachi. I
knew that the I.G police would never do anything against a Blue eyed officer as I had
already met him and the Chief Secretary Sindh, even the Chief Minister was
approached. The upper echelons of Bureaucracy to-day are only sitting to give false
hope and promises to the people. Relief was finally obtained from the Sindh High
Court and that too through a compromise and not by a decree or a verdict (See CD).
Chronological Order of Events of the Debacle – An Open Letter to the Prime Minister of Pakistan
Mr. Prime Minister, I take the courage to furnish the following information to you
for your kind consideration. I am Muhammad Saleem Butt, presently working as an
Additional Commissioner in the Income Tax Department Karachi.
An officer belonging to the Police service of Pakistan serving as a S.S.P Special
Branch Karachi wrecked a havoc in my family life. He was Zafar Iqbal Qureshi whose
licentious behavior led to an unfortunate family debacle which is beyond
comprehension. Finally family union broke after a protracted divorce. Everything as
narrated below is presented to you in a chronological order, with proof.
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I married Lubna Zaman on 26th April 1985, there are four children out of the
wedlock, and three are daughters with one son who is the youngest. The Children are;
Fatima Saleem Butt (9 Years), Marium Saleem Butt (8 years), Noor-ul-Huda Saleem Butt
(7 years), Owais Saleem Butt (3 Years).
They are all minors and presently living with me after Lubna obtained Khula
through the court; she maneuvered termination of marriage on “Khula” with the help
of SSP Zafar Iqbal Qureshi, who had a long list of accomplices in bureaucracy to
support him. SSP. Zafar Iqbal Qureshi offered a plot for sale situated in the Police
Housing Society Lahore. It was a low cost plot far away from urban centre. I purchased
the plot in my wife’s name, As soon as the deal was over, Catastrophe banged my
house. My wife became disobedient; at times she travelled to Lahore without informing
me, leaving the children all alone. All of a sudden one day she asked me for a divorce.
My marital life had already gone from bad to worse. I came across a letter written by
my wife’s mother asking her to file a case and obtain Khula, if the situation was not
conducive to her and she was unable to live with her first husband; however she did
warn her to separate herself with assets belonging to husband because the Police wala
will accept her with some money otherwise a mother of four children would not be a
better preposition than a housemaid for a renowned licentious police officer like Zafar
who had a wife living separately in the village and his children were getting education
elsewhere. The question is how can a mother be so heartless? The answer to the
question is known better, to the almighty God. However ecstasy trance and mesmerism
of the police officer made her stiff even after many year of the divorce she is hesitant to
meet her children. She is living in Karachi shrouded by her cold shoulder approach
thank to Allah the children are now used to living with my mother who is now their
guardian. My mother is 75 year now that is why I have called my niece from Lahore. I
am before you, sir believe my words, the cases in court are maneuvered by the S.S.P in
his own way and most of them are pending date in office because adjournment are
granted to the other party ceremoniously.
I was transferred to Gujarat and Islamabad for a year prior to break up of family
life while I was away my house became a place resembling to a witch hunt episode. All
efforts to mediate and reconcile and to sustain my family life failed because the devil
had completely brainwashed my ex-wife’s mind. To everyone’s surprise one night she
disappeared in the middle of the night leaving the children behind and took all the
valuables along, including some jewelry.
For the posterity of my children, I took my F.I.R back and asked her to return
home. She returned hesitatingly. Sooner had she returned back I received a legal notice
from the court? I started regretting my decision of bringing her back; everyone did not
approve the decision to call her back. She came back under a conspiracy I had no prior
knowledge and she filed a suit of dissolution of marriage in the family court, at 403/95;
I filed a rejoinder suit Requesting the court to grant the restitution of conjugal rights, as
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she was still a wedded wife and I had not divorced her. She had filed the case of Khula
under a plan engaging one of the, best criminal lawyer of Karachi. My question is Sir. Is
police force recruited to catch criminals or to crush innocent and law abiding citizens?
Subsequently I realized that few people were again disturbing my life. My in laws were
bribed to support the bizarre behavior of their daughter. My wife stayed in false hopes;
the plan was actually to rob me of my meager assets, a flat, some gold and some
agricultural land. For the sake of my children I withdrew the case. I am a compromising
man and throughout my life I have a belief and a bent of mind to resolve such matters
within the confinement of the commandments of Quran and Sunnah. My Ex-Wife had
very strong and cordial relationships with the wives of more than a dozen top
bureaucrats of different groups in Karachi, including people from the Income Tax
department. None of them had intervened to convince her to abstain or to compromise
with me on the issue of the children and keep intact the family union. Not only this, I
ran from a pillar to the post, pursuing seven cases in the Sindh High Court. By now I
was convinced that the incessant team headed by Zafar Iqbal (SSP), now husband of my
ex-wife never gave up their heinous designs even after the divorce, the reasons is that
Court cases remained pending for many years after the break of the marriage.
I there upon started writing to various forums so as to keep the case alive before
the bureaucracy as papers are thrown in the dustbin, the baboo’s have no time to reply.
This letter was also written as a counteracting strategy to the Prime Minister of Pakistan
so, as to get some relief from the Federal Government, Sindh Government had failed to
provide anything accept false hope I had a preference and privilege to belong to the
Civil Service of Pakistan like the SSP who had Joined 7th common training batch in 1979
I was two year senior to him. When she transgressed all limits and on advice of my
lawyer, a divorce deed was prepared I still have the draft of the deed which was kept
for my children when they are grown up to see how their procrastinating mother
wrecked vengeance on life of her children. Their age ranged from three to seven year.
My wife refused to sign the papers she was hesitant even to take back Khula case. The
Divorce was complete, she had signed the papers therefore I obtained an order from the
family court and filed Civil suits before the SHC through CSB No. 720/95 754/95 and
821/95. The matter that is pertinent here is that there is no respect in observance of law;
in fact law is what the Sahib says. Day in and out, fraudulent plans were hatched
against me, she resided with her husband at Police flats at Bath Island. I received
constant threats of kidnapping of children’s which forced me to file a case before the
SDM through Khawaja-Naveed (Advocate).
Mr. Prime Minister, whatever I have stated is not only correct, everything is
corroborated with evidences. I have filed many court cases, and have pleaded my case
before various agencies i.e. with the IG Police, Chairman FBR and have sent dozen of
letters everywhere but it is seldom seen anyone getting some administrative relief from
these people, Sir, I am a very senior Government officer but is incapacitated by these
politicos–administrative gang of diehard unresponsive officer. How can an ordinary
Chaos in Governance
| 25
man approach them in the first place and later get his work done Miracle do happen
but only at the hand of the Prophet. How can a power toxicant police officer work to
improve law and order, he can be helpful in worsening peace, law and order in Karachi.
These breed of police officer are a result of political backing. The city of Karachi few
decades back was an embodiment of peace and respect of law. Now the law enforcers
are at hand in gloves with the law breakers. I am writing this letter in 1996 when tales
of a like tyrannies and injustice are in abundance. Can you Mr. Prime Minister Strike
with an iron hand to reform the Police because it is the only force which can break
criminal’s back by honestly making strong cases of prosecution in punishment of the
Criminal. Citizen respecting law of the land must be protected, restraining the criminal
to let people live peacefully. What a miserable time, I have had to spent in a so called
Democratic dispensation; there is no one to apply breaks to the aversive vandalism
even from the protectors of law, I am facing threats continuously even after I have filed
cases in the Sindh High court Every details are vouched with evidence therefore I am
also filling this application as a last resort before the Prime Minister of Pakistan. In the
name of Allah, I request the Prime Minister to intervene and obtain report of criminal
high handedness of the officer who has broken all time record of malfeasance. Innocent
are projected guilty and criminals are roaming free I do not know I will be able to get
any administrative remedy or justice through court and it may take years of my life or I
may lose my life in the way.
With Regards,
Muhammad Saleem Butt,
Inspecting Additional Commissioner, FBR
Flat No. G-10, Fountain Apartments, Clifton, Karachi.
I had to serve legal notice to save life of my family here as below:
Legal Notice to Counteract Threats
Under instruction from my client Mr. Muhammad Saleem Butt Inspecting
Additional Commissioner of Income Tax S/o Late Hajji Shumsuddin Butt, residing at
flat # G-10, Fountain Apartments, Kehkashan, Block-5, Clifton Karachi, I have to
address you as under:
1. My client married to you on 26-04-1985 and out of the wedlock four children were
born as detailed. The children are residing with my client.
2. There are various suits pending in the court of law, therefore it is in the interest of
justice to avoid breeches of law which can lead to more unfortunate episodes.
3. You did not mutate the property after obtaining divorce on 3rd Oct 1995; the case
is pending before the Sindh High Court.
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4. The detail of the aforesaid term were mentioned in the Divorce Deed/Agreement
(copies whereof are with you) arrived at between you and my client on stamp
paper on 01-10-1995, this also entail specific performance from your side.
5. You are fully aware that the Divorce Deed and the agreement clearly mentioned
the terms and conditions by way of which the properties were to be mutated in
favor of my client, and you failed to perform specifically under the influence of
someone.
6. You are legally bound to hand over the original documents of properties if
transfer is made before the Administrator Defense Housing Society.
7. You also know that a long legal notice was earlier sent to you and your reply was
found unsatisfactory, hence these cases have been admitted before the SHC.
8. My client is being harassed and threatened to be killed by unknown people and
he believes behind all this is Mr. Zafar Iqbal Qureshi and you, because you have
married him and all guns are pointed toward him and his family.
9. My client has stated that he had filed a case before the AC + SDM Civil Lines,
Karachi u/s 107, 117, 151, CR PC.
10. His driver Kishan-Lal recently received a threat, which he has taken up with the
Hindu Community that can take a gruesome turn. Advisable in this respect is to
ask you to have a restraining attitude as my client’s cases are before Sindh High
Court; two cases are pending at Lahore, including this before the SDM and others
are at hand. If you do not mend your ways, my client will initiate proceeding u/s
107, 117, 151, CR CP the intimidation should end once for all.
In the court of AC and SDM Karachi.
When situation became very alarming the under mentioned complaint was filed
in the court of AC and SDM Civil Lines, Karachi I became a complainant against the
D.I.G. (see CD)
Soon after, I made up my mind to devote more time in upbringing of my children,
carrying out my duties of public life also, The debacle impacted my life, I began to write
and publish columns and books simultaneously compiling evidence for the court cases,
Sometimes I realize that how badly I was treated by the Bureaucracy who have political
support behind them both are hand in glove which each other. How are general public
treated. It is eminent that they bring “Safarish” or grease the palm to escape tyranny.
How I have survived in grappling with the system for the last 25 years is a million
Dollar question. However this is my religious duty to tell the reader that I remember
Chaos in Governance
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always the advice of my late father till to-day which by the grace of God, I am following
with religious zeal. Today is Friday and I have recited Surah Kahf. My father said and I
distinctly remember. “Son doesn’t leave Surah Kahf’s recitation on Friday even you
have to leave your lunch or dinner. I have by the grace of Allah abided to recite Surah
Kahf on Friday for the last twenty years, even when I was on training in NIPA, Staff
College or other official duties. Sometimes once or more metaphorically speaking in a
bloom moon, I did forget to recite the Surah, I completed the reading the next day or
read twice on the coming Friday to cover the back log. The Holy Prophet (PBUH) said
that Surah Kahf protects not only a believer from all mischief and disorders but the
greatest evil and Mischief of Dajjal coming face to face with a person he would be
defeated by that person who was reciting Surah Kahf during his life time. There is a
Continuous warfare between Faith and Materialism, theme of Surah Kahf is very
relevant these days. The legacy of technological and scientific development has made
man, baby of luxury and comfort vicariously involved in the improvement of physical
world. This part of Quran in Surah Kahf depicts conditions we are passing through
these days that was revealed 1400 year ago on our Prophet (PBUH) Not only this the
Bible and the Torah also depicts the picture and describe the despicable picture of Dajjal
who will be defeated in the end bringing to close the materialist Godless civilization.
The unfortunate trauma of my life came to rest when the DIG, a Police Office
retired in 2007. I am a strong believer in predestination therefore I left everything to
Allah. Immediately in due course of time I was embroiled in a fight with the obstinate
bureaucracy of the FBR. Why I call FBR bureaucracy unresponsive, the reader can have
a glimpse of its high handedness by going through the Chapter that is to follows after
this brief autobiography.
I had a hunch that I may not be able to get any surcease after retirement; even this
prophecy proved correct I had to fight a long battle against the system due to which I
suffered enormously. I appeared in the LLB examination with my two daughters in the
month of Ramzan and Inshallah by June 2015; our family would have four lawyers and
all of us have vowed to fight for a just cause. I have willed my legal heir to continue the
cases until I am redeemed and my enemies are exposed.
I thank the then Prime Minister’s office who responded to my letter at least it
provided me courage to register my plight and now I am writing all this for my readers.
I personally believe I have been victimized and punished because I genuinely love
Pakistan and its people.
Today when I am suffering from the same melancholia again with regard to my
public life I have written more than dozen letters to Chief Justice of the Supreme Court
of Pakistan through Suo Moto Writs, Letter to the President and the Prime Minister
many times, to the Finance Minister, 18 times to the FBR Chairman nothing has come
out from their bag. When I faced a Catastrophic situation of my personal life in 1995 it
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was a difficult situation no doubt and I was sure that nobody would help me at that
critical Juncture To-day there is a changed environment all together more appalling
then 1995. The readers can compare to-day with a back log time of fifteen year. Matter
of verification and correction of my dossier even by my department is proving difficult
preposition as till to-day it has never been done neither any one intervened for me,
there is a Prime Minister, a President and many Ministers. There are hundreds of
bureaucrats who were recruited as servant of the masses there are courts where
decision take five to seven years that is why a resort to Suo Moto Action was initiated
by seven member of my family My case was in consonance to the settled law explained
in the Supreme Court decision in Karachi law and order case in which provision of
section 184(3) has been explicitly defined.
I sometimes think I acted foolishly as I remained steadfast on the principle to be
right and truthful. I am immaculately consoled by conscience; all this is in the way of
Allah. That is why I refused to become part of the system of Chaos governance,
Speeches are made for honest people but in reality nothing is done to salvage few
people who are struggling to continue efforts to earn Halal and genuine livelihood.
The Holy Prophet (PBUH) had tirelessly worked on human heart by properly
conveying the divine message of Allah and had successfully carried the human race to
enlightenment. He has unraveled the hidden treasure of a man called “Eman” and
succeeded in making people come to the veil of light, from abyss of darkness.
To end the saga of my public life, it is reiterated again that as the D.I.G retired in
2007, from the government service from Islamabad, there came a respite in my life.
Some of the details of courts cases, I had to undergo in my thirty five years of public
life, I have divulged it in the CD, that is provided in the Book separately for the reader
as a testimonial.
Letter Written to Chairman FBR
The Chairman,
Federal Board of Revenue,
ISLAMABAD.
Subject:- EXTREME HIGH HANDEDNESS AND NEGLIGENCE OF THE FBR IN
DEPRIVING MY PROMOTION IN GRADE 21 IN APRIL 2009 AND TO GRADE 22
IN APRIL 2011,MUHAMMAD SALEEM BUTT( R) D.G WITHHOLDING TAXES
Dear Sir,
My name is Muhammad Saleem Butt I retired on 5-6-2013 after serving the
income tax department for 35 years; I started my career as an Income Tax officer in 1978
and retired as D.G WHT Taxes in grade 21 in June 2013. I was promoted on 11-03-2013
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three month before my retirement, though I should have been promoted in April 2009
because I belonged to the 5th common training program 1977 batch. From April 2009, I
was superseded consecutively in three meetings held over a period of four and a half
year; supersession was more of a criminal default committed by the FBR, as someone in
the FBR induced mistakes in my personal dossier. There are as many as 6 instances in
my dossier where this mala-fide action is visible. I requested the FBR authorities to
correct my quantification but they did not respond in this period till I retired on 06-06-
2013. The FBR had deliberately Committed errors in four Performance Evaluation
Reports (PER’s) and had replaced my excellent reports with good ones, placing me at
Bahawalpur and Lahore where I had never been posted on these Stations, the evidence
of getting my pay from Karachi conclusively prove that someone was involved in the
criminal malfeasance and the FBR was protecting them. The record is seldom inspected
by anyone; it is done when the courts direct them to do so.
Is it not a worst kind of victimization that can be visualized anywhere? Ill luck
prevailed that I became a subject of this episode. The dare devil approach of the FBR
had ruined my career and more painstaking is that nobody bothered to at least reply to
my grievance. The Sindh High Court was a mean to detect the mistakes as the FBR
provided the record and after verification I found that somebody had committed this
offence knowingly for taking vociferous stand against bad governance in FBR, targeting
the corruption in the department by writing three books on corruption during the
service. I got promoted in grade 21 very late in 2013; it should have been forthcoming in
2009 thanks to Supreme Court of Pakistan by then a historical decision in Anita Turab
Vs Federation of Pakistan a landmark decision of the Supreme Court of Pakistan had
come in field where supersession was not possible as it tantamount to levying a major
penalty which has to follow due course of law.
Why did this act of mal-treatment done to me? I must here give a little
background of my public life. I had in the past spent a life of countless recrimination in
facing indiscriminate treatment at the hands of FBR’s bureaucracy. I still feel good for
my department as I remained a part of FBR and served for 35 years as a true civil
servant, always tried to add positive values to the denigrating image of this institution.
That is why during my service I wrote three books on corruption which were highly
appreciated by the Intelligentsia and Print Media.
These books are:
Why we should not take bribe?
Catastrophe! A ruined Life in the Aftermath of Corruption
Rishwat Ki Tabah Karian Aur Hifazat Kay Zaraaey.
(���������������� �������)
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I wrote these books for a cause as I am a dedicated Pakistani. My commitment to
ideology of Pakistan is noticeable as writing Books on Corruption during tenure of the
service is not only a bold step but it is equivalent to awaking the bureaucracy to become
responsive to public service; to forego corruption in the interest of the state all was
more suicidal than anyone could imagine. The public servant in Pakistan became my
enemy as I accomplished the un-surmountable task, despite a very strong opposition in
the society.
I believe that power was a source of blessing if it was used more often to solve the
problems of the masses and help them to improve upon their living standards. Lest it is
a curse, if it is used negatively for personal aggrandizement in making illegal money
coupled by favoritism, nepotism, meritless recruitment and victimization of people that
became a tool of repression for the rulers. Under the moral standards laid down in
religion and humanity, I tried to improve upon the image of the FBR that is why I stood
up against corruption, I believe public awareness and persuasion can bring an amend
in the society. There are few people today who can change, that was my target and for
them I stood up and the forces of terror prevented me by putting barricades in
promotion of my public career. What is happening today in our society is just like a
story of a “King and His guards”, I want to narrate in this letter as an illustration “A
guard (Darogha) was entrusted to feed milk to the horses of the king. The guard sold
some milk in the market from the horses share and started the act of dishonesty.
Dishonesty is the mother of all ills including corruption. On finding out the practice of
the guard, the king appointed another guard, to oversee him and to see that the corrupt
employee abstain from act of milk theft The newly appointed guard was mesmerized
by the mafia which was in operation for a long time, it was easy to form an alliance and
get his share; The mafia hit upon a plan to add water in the milk, lest their fraudulent
practices would come to limelight because the under nourished horses will die soon.
The king received a fresh complaint; that the horses were sick because the contaminated
water was full of germs; all the above was done to continue the system of corrupt
practices. Coincidently, the pure water they added to the milk contained fish embryo, it
was also the same day the king had decided to inspect the milk. The king during
inspection saw in the bucket fish embryos floating in the milk. He interrogatively asked
his Special Secretary as to how these small fish embryos was floating. The Deputy
Minister replied sarcastically “Sir, because you had made a surprise visit without
informing the bureaucracy they did not add water from the source which was far away;
instead they took out the bucket from the nearby fish pond to avoid your wrath and
recrimination. I am sorry Sir; this is the way your administration is carrying on their
job.
We can very well see that all the strategies that are being implemented today to
better governance and implement a standard social order is similar to that of the king’s
administration. The milk that is fed to our social fabric contains germs of dishonesty
that are sprawling at an alarming pace. Instead of diagnosing the ill and treating it
Chaos in Governance
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properly, we do nothing but, employ guards on top of one another, as king did in order
to prevent the theft. These are rhetoric only; a stage has now come we need a change of
mind where divine revelatory order of the creator of the world if applied would
definitely work to give effective remedies.
I know that for the first time anyone has written and spoken against corruption
during the tenure of service. I had apprehensions that I will lose my promotion for
Grade-22, it should not have happened because I was doing the job of the government
to bring a social reform in the mental setup of the people I may contrarily given reward,
never the less a long list of sufferance and mal-treatment was meted to me by the FBR
during the three decades of my service carrier. I am writing this letter as a Prologue in
the beginning of the book so that the reader takes didactic.
There are many trials, tribulations coupled with punishment I faced from the
hands of the FBR in the past. There was a big shake up in my career from the start of
service during 1980 to 1993. I became a Wealth Tax Officer in Karachi, transferred from
Lahore at the start of my service which was the junior most posting; I did not carry any
Safarish as my father had no connections with the Politicians, Bureaucrats and Rich
Capitalist Businessman, Wealth Tax Affairs were being manned by clerks and
supervisors till a separate department of wealth tax came into being under the FBR. I
remained like a clerk in the Wealth tax department till I was promoted to Inspecting
Assistant Commissioner. For nearly one year we had to sit in the garden with marriage
tents and chairs without the staff because Red Crescent building, Cantonment Karachi
was hired on rent and there was no space to sit. These types of homemade policies are
comparable to placing horse before a cart and it is but natural that if a horse pulls a cart
by his face, his head is liable to be injured before he will definitely face death abruptly.
What happened there to in transferring record from one place to another millions of
Rupees outstanding in government record were lost in the way because there was no
computer in 1980 and changing lists at any length of time is easiest a job to do in
Pakistan.
My heart ache, because there were dozens of change of jurisdictions of the
income tax cases in my 35 years and I have a strong hunch that billions of Rupees
would have been lost in the way of shifting of record. These type of whimsical policies
without research are seen everywhere in our government department.
Here it would not be appropriate to divulge everything as letters cannot be a
substitute for the book on bureaucracy I will write immediately after retirement. After
my promotion to Inspecting Assistant Commissioner of income tax, I was transferred
and posted to Gujarat and Islamabad as punishment I had to remain there for almost a
year. I remained posted as Inspecting Assistant Commissioner in Gujarat in a state of
unending flux which impacted my family life. My wife was entrapped by a Police DIG;
it is a long story, which is known in the social circle unfortunately I suffered again at
Chaos in Governance
32 |
the hand of a police bureaucrat belonging to the 7th common training. His in genuine
plans are part of the book.
Till I became a Commissioner of Income tax in 2000 there was no respite for me;
some good posting came by sheer good luck. I know postings and promotions have a
definite stake as top position are playgrounds for minting money, the hidden agenda is
manifested through personal likes and dislikes of the ruling class therefore the mode
which is adopted is despicable.
Forcibly, I was sent on deputation to the Wafaqi Mohtasib Secretariat Karachi.
The Secretariat of Wafaqi Mohtasib is a dump house for old retired people and I was
sent as a Commissioner of Income Tax working in grade 20, I remained with Wafaqi
Mohtasib for four and a half year in that office without even a car. The allowable
benefits and perks of the Income tax were no more available in the Wafaqi Secretariat.
The officers sitting in the FBR did not listen to my request that I was pursuing cases
with my Ex-wife in the Sindh High Court Karachi. Nobody believed to my family
problem until I send them full bunch of court cases as well as evidences of threats to my
life and kidnapping of my children. I accepted this offer as a punishment to save my
languishing family as Wafaqi Mohtasib office was directly under the President of
Pakistan and I could have used his office in case of any mishap. I still feel as today the
Callousness and intransigent attitude of my bosses who punished me when I required
sympathy and solace. To be honest with everyone, I compromised because I had no
political backing or a “Safarish”. And has always treated my duty as sacred as a
religious trust. The FBR to improve upon the working class doubled the salaries and
pay. Due to change in salary structure of FBR, I was repatriated back to the FBR in
August 2007. My woe’s and miseries temporarily subsided as double pay acted as a
Harbinger to get me back to FBR and to increase my earnings. The moment I joined the
FBR in Karachi; fresh tale of repression and hooliganism started again. I was posted
where I did not want to go. The posting zone was a place to mint money through
refunds of the taxpayers of entire Karachi under one window. I was transferred to
check illegalities and fraudulent practices prevalent in the Income Tax Department
particularly the refunds which were being doled out lavishly causing an alarming
situation I began to break the mafia. Some people did not like the way I proceeded to
tackle the corruption. I gathered more enemies and my friend became my foes; I began
to have a hunch that these people would punish me later in my promotion; frequent
transfers and postings did not impact me. The deliberate impropriety inflicted later on
there-after led to occurrence of my supersession three times that was really painstaking,
I was a career civil servant and have never used my post as a business venture to earn
money from corruption I still believe that it is not a loss as I have tried to remain within
the precincts of Hudood of Allah I could not get grade 21 in April 2009 as my destiny
corroborated with someone fudging my figures and making my file incorrect then
sending it to the Central Selection Board after that I was dropped three times and
nobody was kind to tender a reply. Everyone was not criminal but somebody would
Chaos in Governance
| 33
have done it the people who did not enquire and interrogate the malfeasance, I believe
were equally responsible for depriving my Grade-22 which I would have reached in
April 2011.
My agony of fate is that I was deprived of my due share of pension and its
benefits of Grade-22 snatched from me because of my simplicity and strong belief in the
theory of pre-destination. I swear by God that I have no illegal earned money through
corruption because whatever I had was taken by my ex-wife is evident in the court
cases I will divulge which will lend credence to this statement. The reward I received
from the Government of Pakistan is social ostracism, pursuing court cases throughout
my life. Even today there are as many as 6 cases I am fighting for my right. I suffered
countless injuries in personal and public life. I had in the end of my career faced
unnecessary criticism and hardship from the FBR for five years till I retired in June-
2013. Probably norms have changed honesty is now a bad action. What kind of
governance is this? How could I sum up this catastrophically real episode?
I was transferred to Lahore as member ITAT in Own Pay Scale Grade 20. From
drawing double pay and benefits I was punished to go on single salary as till then FBR
personals were drawing double pay under World Bank programme. I was sent to ITAT
Lahore, as an accountant member for which a Commissioner of Income Tax should
have served at this post for five years. The FBR transferred me as member ITAT when I
had to my credit two years of service as a Commissioner. Again there was a
premeditated malfeasance to victimize me. The additional victimization inflicted on me
made people realize, that I had become a target of recrimination not only from
bureaucracy but political big wigs have also joined hands in disturbing me because that
was the only way to silence my sentiments to fight corruption which have destroyed
the moral fabrics of the country. I requested the Ministry of Law to review my case,
they informed me that the FBR had sent the list of officers where my name was placed
in the bracket of officers whose service exceeded five years as required in law under
section 130 of the income tax ordinance 2001. The Ministry of Law never the less was
sympathetic but more apologetic because I had suffered on two counts. Firstly, my
salary was halved from what I was drawing at Karachi and secondly I was illegally
assaulted and placed at Lahore. The FBR wasted hard earned money of the government
of Pakistan in sending me to Income Tax Tribunal at Lahore as more than a Lac of
Rupee was given to me as transfer grant; I just sat in the office at Lahore doing nothing
as I contested my case before the Ministry of Law which took nine months to decide the
matter in my favor. The Bizarre demeanor shown by the FBR is known to everybody.
Where are people who respect law and provide justice and equity? At least FBR should
have properly replied to my representation even if the seniors didn’t like my posture; I
just wanted good governance so that people get proper service and the colleagues who
are obnoxiously involved in vices and sins, corruption being one of them may be saved
from the fires of hell they are bound to get lest they call it a day and offer penitence
before Allah who is the savior and righteous path provider to people. My question is