A government is elected to embark on nation building to face the challenges of future, providing employment, security, health, food and education. When Hurricane Sandy blasted the East Coast, it led to temporary disruption of all public transportation system such as rail, road and air, including the destruction of thousands of homes and electric power shut downs that are expected to last for almost a week.
The world’s superpower in the words of President Obama was humbled by nature’s destructive power, but reminded of its obligation to provide relief and security to the masses. This is what democracy is all about and that is why democratic system of government survives in the developed world. The US elected president suspended his election campaign, declared an emergency of sorts to focus on providing welfare and restore disrupted transportation, health and electricity systems. America was shaken up with devastation wrecked by what is being termed as Super Storm of century.
In sharp contrast to all this it is shocking to witness that last two successive governments in Islamic Republic of Pakistan have been systematically involved in wrecking through sheer incompetence and institutionalized corruption, a function railway network, the national airline, steel industry, creating the worst power generation failure in the history of this country and worsening the law and order situation across the length and breadth of this country. For instance PIA, once the pride of Pakistan, has been bled of additional Rs100 billion in losses and pilferage during past four years. We have witnessed industrial retardation and massive flight of capital and skilled human resources to foreign countries.
The nation’s financial capital Karachi, has been reduced to notoriety of being declared most dangerous city in Asia, where target killings has consumed more lives than war against India, a city where extortion, land grabbing and kidnapping for ransom has become a booming business, patronized by those in power and a city where law enforcement is hostage to criminal gangs organized by political parties that rule the province in a coalition government. Religious fanaticism breeds because of failures of government and ill-conceived policies of security establishment. It is not a natural disaster that has wrecked the Pakistani nation, its people or their economy, but a man-made disaster generated by insatiable greed of its ruling elite and paid corrupt mediocrity within civil or uniformed bureaucracy.
RASHID ORAKZAI
Texas, USA