The economic crisis which inflicts this country, could have been avoided, if those at helm of affairs since 1958, had acted in the national interest. Losing hope is not an option, given the fate of many Muslims living in Modi’s India, and genocide of our Palestinian brethren in Gaza and West Bank. The challenges we face are really very uphill, which requires from the ruling elite, to lead by example. Austerity measures must be adopted starting from the very top, instead of the usual pep talk and creation of committees, which has become a norm and an eye wash. All paid government officers must live in modest houses spread over no more than 600sq-yds. The only PM, who genuinely tried to enforce austerity, in the post 1979 era, was Mohd Khan Junejo, who ordered all ministers, including PM, judges, bureaucrats, generals to henceforth use locally assembled Suzuki cars.
No one was allowed to import limousines at state expense. Junejo was finally removed from power. Since his departure, every PM has paid lip service to austerity, while in reality they have indulged in extravagance, importing expensive limousines and executive jets at tax payer’s account. All this is happening when both Toyota and Honda cars are being assembled in Pakistan. Almost every senior bureaucrat, both civil and uniformed, now use expensive SUVs, despite our depleted FOREX reserves. This poor country has spent billions on construction of an infrastructure, within secure safe zone, to house official residences for President, PM, Speaker, CM etc. The offices and parliament are located in close proximity within safe zones, under 24/7 security cover. All this expenditure would be wasted, if individuals who volunteer for these constitutional offices, were to live in their self-owned residences, declared as camp offices. This incurs extra expenditure of billions, in providing additional security, logistics, renovation and installation of paraphernalia required for communication with essential departments of the state and officials. These constitutional office holders must be available 24/7, and easily accessible through secured channels of telecommunication. The nature of the job, requires the office holder to conform to SOPs and security protocols.
All over the world, elected constitutional office holders, such as President, PM, CM etc., reside at their designated official residences. The British PM Rishi Sunak, belongs to a billionaire family, owning palatial house in London. On assumption of office, he moved to the official residence located at 10 Downing Street. There has been no British PM, who has lived in his own personal house, declared as a camp office. Declaring personal residences, spread over hundreds of kanals, entails extra expenditure. Similarly, every President of USA has lived at their official residence in Washington DC. Prudence and austerity demand, that this practice must cease immediately. Mere announcements by important constitutional office holders of not taking salaries may be a noble gesture, and beneficial for political optics, but the saving is nominal.
There is a scarcity of men with commitment and sense of ownership for Pakistan and its people, amongst the leadership, comparable to that, which prevailed in the likes of MAJ, Allama Iqbal and other pioneers of our political freedom struggle. They gave us a separate homeland. Unfortunately, mediocrity has been at helm, since 1958, more interested in themselves, sans any vision and sense of direction that was needed to build upon the foundation of a modern democratic welfare state, envisioned by Jinnah Saheb. With exception of ZAB, who despite many shortcomings, left behind a legacy to be remembered in the form of a “Constitution” in 1973, which MAJ wanted to be adopted much earlier, by 1950, and an effective Defence Deterrence capability. All others, were involved in turf wars, game of thrones, and acquisitions of perks and benefits for self and family.
The visible conflicts of interest of these public office holders, both elected or paid, has harmed this country. Individuals and families of this compromised ruling elite have flourished financially, but the state has become poorer and citizens suffered. Those who volunteer for constitutional public offices must never have any conflicts of interest, nor should they, or their families, be allowed to own assets abroad. All that they need to do is adopt “Jinnah’s Vision” which he had elaborated upon during his lifetime in detail. Quaid was a man of means, and a very successful lawyer, who owned palatial houses. However, on assuming the office of GG Pakistan in August 1947, he strictly observed austerity, with no tolerance for any waste of tax-payer’s money for self or his sister.
MAJ wanted Pakistan to be a country with a constitution as supreme law, where the will of the people was to reign supreme, and the contours of power for the paid elite to work within their defined constitutional limits. MAJ emphasized upon significance of oath, for both civil and uniformed officers, that they took on assumption of paid public office. He died within a year in 1948. Whilst MAJ managed, despite all odds, to attain for the Muslim majority, an independent sovereign homeland, where they could live in peace and harmony with members of other faith, united in pursuit of developing their country, those who succeeded him, failed to adopt his vision. Even these initial hurdles could have been surmounted, if we had adopted a constitution and rule of law, devoted our energies on developing human resources and laying the foundations of a modern democratic state, which was the objective of creating Pakistan. What followed instead, was the exact reverse of what Father of Nation had envisioned. There should be a complete clamp down on needless foreign visits. This practice of performing Umrah etc. on state expense must cease, because these are religious obligations to be performed at personal expense. There was absolutely no justification for over 55 foreign tours by our foreign minister in just 15 months. Indian PM Modi’s total official foreign visits since 2014 to September 2023 are only 110.
—The writer is contributing columnist, based in Lahore.
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