Time and tide wait for no man, nor does mood of people disenchanted with successive governments that have miserably failed to deliver and electoral promises gone astray. Patience of masses has run out with this endless plunder of state assets, institutionalised corruption, flight of capital and declining human resources.
PM Nawaz Sharif was elected for a five-year term on promises of change, reforms and welfare. More than 18 months have elapsed and all that we have seen are attempts to maintain status quo, giving relief to elite, indulging in nepotism, and failing to appoint qualified citizens of Pakistan on merit to head state owned enterprises. His government has failed to levy direct taxes and continues to rely on indirect taxation, resulting in galloping inflation, inviting wrath of desperate masses who can no longer endure pain, misery and injustices inflicted upon them for the past thirty five years. With each passing day, thousands who once supported him are joining protests staged by his political opposition.
The only choice MNS has is to feel pulse of people, cleanse his government of corrupt contractors, real estate mafia, and incompetent mediocrity who thrive on sycophancy which he seems to fancy. He must be seen willing to change through deeds not rhetoric. This is no time for such schemes like handing out laptop computers or yellow cabs, but raising national revenues through direct taxation without any waivers and lowering prices of basic essential items of daily use and on utilities by slashing indirect taxation. He needs to put a moratorium on his cabinet members not to expand their business empires, nor be beneficiaries of lucrative construction contracts which involve conflict of interest.
MNS must not be seen patronising his clan, nor protecting traders from tax evasion, neither allowing them to rob state exchequer through custom made SROs. PM must ensure that best qualified specialists in relevant field are appointed at the helm in his team, instead of semi-literate cronies. How can he justify appointing a foreign national as an Advisor for Aviation, when he is a beneficiary of contract for construction of controversial new airport at Islamabad, which has been delayed with massive escalation without an penalty to the contractor?
MALIK TARIQ ALI
Dubai, UAE