Advice for PM

Reference to PML-N government’s promises that load shedding will be reduced during Ramadan and ugly reality of 12 hours daily power breakdowns even in DHA Lahore where electricity bill recovery is over 90 per cent, or unacceptable delay in putting professionals with integrity to head white elephants like Railways, PIA, CAA, EOBI, CDA etc and hesitation for accountability.

My humble request to PM Nawaz Sharif is to wake up and stop over relying upon bureaucracy and look beyond your present kitchen cabinet for saner advice within your own party, because courtiers that surround you will keep you in dark. Remember, sir, it is the common man of Pakistan who voted for you, not just few thousand traders, retailers or members of your clan whom your government seems to be preoccupied with. These traders were nowhere to be seen when your government was toppled in 1998 or when you tried to comeback to Pakistan, because it is not in nature of traders to stand up for principles.

A business friendly government promotes economic recovery by cutting down bureaucratic red tape and keeps check on abuse of discretionary powers, provide law and order, ensure justice, and recover taxes from every citizen who earns above a uniform declared income. No system of governance in world, be it capitalist, socialist, or even Islamic, can survive unless it has a reliable welfare system for most deprived sections of society and for such a system tax collection is mandatory. This is reason why tax evasion is considered as heinous a crime as murder or rape in civilised countries, irrespective of whether they have democratic parliamentary system or a presidential system.

Moral and ethics of governance are universal and every religion emphasises upon them. An elected government derives its moral authority from constitution and laws, and it loses this legitimacy the moment laws become subordinate to whims of individuals. What happened in Model Town could never have happened if saner politicians within your party had a role, instead of bureaucracy and few elements within your party who think that strong-arm tactics can work. Your government must tackle these issues politically in accordance with laws. Otherwise such mishandling can only help political orphans like Tahirul Qadri.

MALIK TARIQ ALI

Lahore