The hike in railway fares is yet another blow to the public already reeling under the ever-increasing prices of petroleum, electricity and other commodities. It seems the government is hell bent in offering a respite to the public. Rather than focusing on eradicating the problems in bureaucracy and top management of such organisations, the government chooses the only way it knows, more taxes and price hike.
If such measures can cure the perennial problems of Railways, other state organisations like Steel Mills, PIA, NHA, TCP, PEPCO, USC and PASSCO can also be treated this way. Will this help the organisations or the managers of these organisations? Do unproductive employments have something to do with this? There are thousands of ghost employees in this organisation.
These perils were mentioned in the letter sent by Dr Mubashir Hasan to warn Zulfikar Bhutto against the increasing state control of the economy, “Welcome as it seemed at first sight, it was not without its own perils. The intervention by the state to avert a collapse of a particular channel of production and distribution was to be welcomed only when the management was transferred to good hands and economic policies were sound. It is a sure invitation to military intervention and disaster”.
The good doctor, it seems, was right indeed.
KHURSHID ANWER
Lahore
