Jamali Government
& First Year of Confusing Diarchy
By
Dr Zafar Altaf
IS
IT ANARCHY? Depending on one’s point of view the opinions
are
pretty hard and fast. How does one determine the worth of the
worthless? Not in terms of absolutes but in terms of delivering
for the people of Pakistan.
Every
one in Pakistan is a drum beater. If everything was so right,
and if every tour was such a success, then why the political and
economic conditions are so deplorable? If every thing is and was
honky dory then why has the political government and the government
before it not been able to place the indicators, as they should
be portrayed.
First
politically. The Jamali government has not been able to get the
Opposition to conduct business in the manner that recognizes the
superiority of the political system. Legislative work has been
done and that is just as well. I say that is just well because
we would not be able to market any of our concerns in a legislative
manner because our laws are made for the few and not for the many.
Please
consider any laws that have been made. These are draconian and
hardly conducive to the rights of men. The society politically
stands divided and polarized. Human rights are less important
than animal rights [ask the WWF]. The reforms set in for good
governance smack of idiots at work. The proof is in the pudding.
Just
look at the work of NRB. Son of an eminent father is now heading
the reformative NRB. Nothing of any consequence. The Nazims and
the naib nazims are at it. Corruption is rife. They tell me that
even to get a form of any kind, money under the table has to be
given. All tender documents that were supposed to be available
to the participants now have to be paid for and the money does
not go to the exchequer but lines the pockets of the line departments.
But
above all when a conflict is forming who will take the responsibility.
The Nazim of Karachi says that the bureaucracy has let him down.
What bureaucracy? The last government has made sure that the way
and the path of the nazims should be as easy as possible. So why
the blame the non-existent bureaucracy. This has been Pakistan’s
problem from the beginning. Those who do not understand the logic
and the meaning of governance keep on blaming others for their
own weaknesses.
Everything
good is what has been done by them and every thing bad was done
by the others. Excellent manner for portraying the science and
the art of good governance. Much more can be said for the reforms
and the manner in which these were carried out. The transparency
of which all governments are so proud of is non-existent in all
forms in Pakistan.
The
thrashing of the MPA from Punjab on the motorway further polarized
what was already a political system that had been hybridized without
the virtues of hybrid system-virtues of both and vices of none.
It seems that we have vices of both and virtues of none. So be
it.
The
LFO continues to be in position and the war against terror has
been intensified with the terrorists winning the battle. Afghanistan.
India and any country is now asking Pakistan to give them their
wanted men. Dawood Ibrahim is in the news and so are the religious
groups that have been banned. Banning them will only make them
go underground. Remember Hamas in Palestine. Power is not to be
used in that manner.
It
has to be done through reason and reason is the precursor of dialogue.
But dialogue is difficult at any and at all levels because it
requires the ability to listen to people whom you may not like.
The
other area is the conflict between the provinces. These have not
been resolved. Water continues to be the source of conflict and
the matter has been made more difficult by the intransigence of
the policy makers. The conflict will not go away and it may be
that the rigidity of all concerned may take Pakistan to the position
where there are no comebacks.
Sindh
is up in arms against the decision and the Seraiki belt supports
Sindh. Balochistan has suffered reverses and the NWFP is not willing
to concede. Then why? The problem is elsewhere and it will not
be easy to resolve. Water will sink Pakistan unity or whatever
is left of it.
The
other matter is with regard to the National Finance Commission.
Irresponsible solutions are suggested. Federal subventions are
not the order of the day. That is not the function of an independent
country. The provinces must have ultimate control on their economic
activity. If Hydel Power money can be given to NWFP what and who
should deny Gas premium to the Balochis. Reason is not in control
here.
As
result Federal Government's power over finance and its mismanagement
has increased. There is no organizational justice. And so the
matter goes on ragged in parts and never completely at peace internally.
That is why the Marri and Bugti demand what they do. Why not converse
with them and give them what they want. We will never learn. East
Pakistan wanted some of this autonomy. We resisted. They went
their way. Why, tell me why.
The
economic system posted a growth rate that was, according to the
Finance Minister, the indicator of great things to come. WTO/WB/IMF
are all on their knees seeking the blessings from Pakistan. It
has reserves of 11 to 12 billion dollars. Yet it has not been
able to achieve anything of note.
The
poverty indicators have gone up and the State Bank says that this
was due to the policies carried out in the last 15 years. Some
one has to answer this question. If that was so how about employment?
Was that also the work of the previous governments? It is pathetic.
No jobs created in the industrial sector despite a mammoth growth
indicated by the FM. Why so? May be the FM may like to answer.
In
agriculture the ministers that have sugar mills have made sure
that the concept so adroitly developed by Razzaq Dawood, the FM
and their other cohorts is perverted. Pakistan’s capitalism
follows no conceptual depth. The policies are there for the benefit
of the powerful and the rich. From a surplus wheat production
we have had a yo-yo swing and we are about to import wheat for
food security. How come?
Ask
Junejo he managed to disrupt the entire institutional base of
agriculture. Cotton has also gone down the drain. The reason for
the debacle is again the former Agriculture Minister. He threw
out competent persons in the research institutes and brought in
his own cohorts. Cotton prices have gone up and the competitiveness
of the export markets is threatened.
Meanwhile
scandals after scandals are brewing as a result of the duty draw
down that was allowed and that was proudly announced by the then
Commerce minister. It seems that a trick was played and the Karachi
Customs Office allowed all kinds of misdemeanors. Allah be praised.
Last
year agriculture posted a loss of –2.7% and if each per
cent point is worth 12 billion rupees who is responsible for the
farmer’s loss.
In
law and order terms there have been repeated attacks on the helpless
and hapless police stations. The conflicts have increased. Violations
of human rights continue unabated. Police stations have become
the hub of criminal activity. Policemen are seeking their dues
from the public for who can survive on Rs. 4,000 (US$ 70) per
month. Tell me. And if you have to pay rent for a house then what?
The
officers of the police force are the real culprits-seeking inconsequential
police force [increasing numbers calling them Mujahid Force, Eagle
Force, Elite Force] and give it any superlative name and that
is it.
Much worse is where the sovereignty of the Parliament has been
subverted. The PM is answerable to the people and not to any individual.
His strength flows from the electorate and not from any individual.
He has done two things to subvert the power of the NA. First he
has listed as his boss the President of Pakistan. The President
of Pakistan is also to be subservient to a higher form of substance-the
people of Pakistan.
Make
no mistake the country is larger than any individual. Secondly
the PM laments that the NA has not done its job. Fine. Who should
make it work? Is it the job of the government or should the majority
party do its business when the opposition has walked out. Why
cannot the tiresome and difficult questions be settled? The PM
does not say what he is going to do about it.
Has
he done something for Baluchistan? Pretty inconceivable. Meanwhile
the joke on the PM is interesting. They say he has a large head.
They go on to say that his stomach is much larger than his head.
Savvy. How will you get the stomach and the head to do its bit?
The
writer is a former Federal Secretary, Government of Pakistan
