Federal Minister for Science and Technology Fawad Chaudhry has done it again. This time he has managed to annoy the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) with his remarks made during a private TV channel talks show a few days ago claiming that “we [the ruling party] had promised accountability. All those who had to be held accountable we have held them accountable successfully.” Furthermore, while answering the host’s question whether the ruling PTI or NAB was responsible for the ongoing accountability campaign he averred “we are responsible, because where was NAB before?” Understandably, these comments have upset NAB. They have also provided grist to the mills, lending validity to complaints of opposition leaders, entangled in various corruption cases, that they are being victimized by the government.

The anti-graft watchdog issued a statement last Friday saying the minister’s comments cast aspersions on it and also negated the efforts of its officials working with dedication and honesty to banish corruption. And the NAB Chairman directed his Rawalpindi office to obtain a copy of the televised remarks, and take necessary action. The minister though has cast aspersions — inadvertently, of course - not only on the anti-graft watchdog but also on his own government in suggesting it is responsible for the success of the accountability drive. The ruling PTI keeps reminding anyone who would care to listen that none of the high profile cases, whether it was the Panama Papers scandal or the fake bank accounts case, were instituted on its watch. And that NAB is an independent body, free to hold anyone, including PTI public office holders to account. In its statement the accountability bureau too pointed out that it had received not a single corruption reference from the government.

However, it indeed is a pertinent question, where was NAB before? As acknowledged by it the present government has not initiated any of the present references; all are from the past. The unpleasant truth is that during the last about four decades, corruption became the new normal. Fawad Chaudhry rightly explained in a Twitter post - evidently, after realising he had committed a gaffe — that “Prime Minister Imran Khan introduced a narrative against corruption. It seemed as though corruption was not an issue at all … institutions existed before too, but [did not act because] no one considered corruption a bad thing.” Undoubtedly, it was Imran who put the issue front and centre of the national debate. Surely, that helped create an environment that has encouraged the relevant institutions to do their duty. In that sense the minister was not so wrong in giving credit to his government for the accountability process, though he embarrassed it in choosing his words to say what he said, causing a considerable controversy.