Privileges for the political class

And disregard for ground realities

Fine time for the Punjab Assembly to approve the bill demanding blue passports for all MPAs and diplomatic passports for the speaker and deputy speaker. Apparently, the bill has been approved to ensure that members of the Assembly do not face any problems during their (frequent) international tours. And since other provincial assemblies also passed resolutions following the suit, the federal government is now bound to issue the new passports. The MPAs are no doubt happy and do not realise that the joy could be cut short because of public discontent. These are not, after all, the best times to lobby for increased privileges for the political class; as if they don’t enjoy their fair share of advantages already.

And as regard privileges, the common man’s position is cause for concern. The working class, especially, finds its rights negligible compared to institutions that supposedly run on taxpayer money and are meant to protect and serve the country and its people. On the one hand there is defence budget which just cannot be questioned, at least not out in the open. Then there is the bureaucracy. Though visibly reduced to a relic and simply unable to perform, it has become a rusted tool in the hands of politicians. Yet the babus enjoy privileges like few other segments of society; and take back from the state far more than they serve.

And at the top of the pyramid is, of course, our brand of politicians who continue to suffer from the masters-of-the-universe syndrome. There could be no better example than the Punjab Assembly resolution of how divorced from reality they have become. Politicians’ excesses, and the VIP culture, has given strength to politics of agitation that has gripped Islamabad for months now. Yet, instead of going out of their way to identify with the people and their concerns, politicians seem forever on the quest for more perks and privileges. People’s distaste for such policies is clearly on the rise. Politicians should appreciate this change of mood, and posture accordingly. Otherwise they will have only themselves to blame if the ‘system’ they so revere takes even more beating. Politics is about respecting, not disregarding, ground realities.