Let’s not veil transparency

Freedom of expression is under threat. Defence Minister Khawaja Asif warns media persons and social media users that they could go to jail if they share ‘secret’ information that hurts Pakistan’s ties with “friendly and brotherly countries”. Does this apply to reporting and commenting on Dubai Unlocked, popularly known as Dubai Leaks? Well, it depends on who reports and who comments. Thanks to a comprehensive Dawn report, we all know that thousands of Pakistanis, including political, media, military and business elite, own properties worth $12.5 billion in Dubai. The occasional surfacing of facts regarding the Pakistani elite amassing tonnes of wealth abroad begs a fair question: why don’t they invest in Pakistan — their homeland that made them the wealthiest people among a population of 240 million?