AS a process is underway for the formation of new governments at the centre and in the provinces, caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar on Thursday said that the interim setup was leaving the country’s economy in a better condition than before. He was chairing a meeting of the federal cabinet, which expressed satisfaction over the steps taken by the caretaker government regarding restructuring of various institutions, promotion of foreign investment and providing facilities to businesses.
The outgoing caretaker administration was unique in the sense that it ruled the country for an extended period because of legal and constitutional complications and was also able to introduce effective measures to improve governance and the economy. Some of the decisions were surely difficult and increased the woes of the people but, experts believe, these were necessary in the long-term interests of the country. One must give credit to the caretaker setup for applying a brake to the unending devaluation of rupee that is the real cause of inflation in Pakistan. Similarly, the government, with the firm backing of the Pakistan Army, initiated an operation against mafias in different sectors and the campaign had a soothing effect on the overall prices and availability of essential goods. At the fag end of its rule, the caretaker government has also approved a number of austerity measures, which, if implemented in letter and spirit by the incoming government, can help overcome the financial crunch to some extent. These include a complete ban on creation of new posts and procurement of machinery, vehicles and unnecessary items by ministries and their attached departments. On the foreign policy front, the caretaker government did not waste a moment in deciding a praiseworthy reaction to the unprovoked Iranian attack inside Balochistan. There is no denying the fact that the caretaker government delivered due to meticulous selection of the Prime Minister and his cabinet members as all of them are professionally sound.
