Somehow the embarrassment caused by the rumpus and shouting that marred announcement of the annual budget presented in NA on 1st June, fades in comparison to the miseries inflicted by the bad governance of preceding four years that have dealt an economic blow to Pakistan.
In spite of all our faults and failings, we did not deserve such a bad deal. I was shocked to hear that a public office holder could state on television that all these expensive suits, shoes, ties etc that he adorns are gifted to him by his well wishers.
Do these gifts include villas, houses located within Pakistan and abroad also? It seems people in power lack any sense of propriety or honour to make such embarrassing claims, which in any other democratic country could have merited a disqualification.
May I ask the gentleman how many such gifts were ever given to him before he assumed this high public office? After all other than magic or a lottery jack pot, what else can explain the replacement of old cars in which they roamed in 2007 with BMWs, Mercedes, Hummers and Rolls Royces in 2009 onwards.
This is a government whose citizens are being killed in target killings, or kidnapped for ransom and extortion, yet it chooses to remain silent, in full know of the identity of culprits.
On which authority under our constitution did the chief executive derive unchecked powers of discretion to approve appointments of criminals and semi literate men and women such as Ayaz Niazi, Adnan Khawaja, Aijaz Haroon etc.
How can this regime justify their criminal act to ignore production of cheap hydel electric power generation and defer Thar Coal and instead go for expensive rip-offs like RPPs just because of kickbacks?
The least that is expected of those who hold public office is to know and differentiate between right and wrong, or what is immoral or unethical. If fate has been kind to them and unkind to Pakistan that Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto was assassinated and they were catapulted somehow to assume these high public offices, the least that was expected was some degree of decorum to uphold the dignity of high office, instead of acting like the manner that they in their wisdom, or lack of it, have chosen to do so.
MALIK TARIQ ALI
Lahore
