It is foremost obligation of a state to provide for welfare and other basic necessities of life welfare for those valiant citizens who have either laid down their lives or are permanently disabled during course of their duties while defending security of its geographical boundaries. This obligation also extends for welfare of most deprived sections of our society making it mandatory to provide subsidised education, health, security and justice for all. This was the gist of Quaid’s ideology of Pakistan being a modern, democratic welfare state, where will of people is supreme and rule of law prevails.
For a state with limited financial resources and lowest Tax to GDP lowest in world, there is no room for abuse under guise of welfare for select sections of paid servants of state, be they civil or khaki officers. What is unacceptable is eligibility of former paid servants of state, who have pledged an oath of loyalty to another country and have taken an oath that “I absolutely and entirely renounce and abjure all allegiance and fidelity to any—state, or sovereignty of whom or which I have heretofore been a subject or citizen.–I will bear arms on behalf of the US when required by the law; that I will perform noncombatant service in the Armed Forces of the US when required by the law; that I will perform work of national importance under civilian direction when required by the law; etc” Similar oaths of loyalty are pledged by all former Pakistani citizens who have taken citizenship of Canada, UK etc.
It is unacceptable that such people who have renounced on oath their loyalty to Pakistan be eligible to allotment of subsidised plots and entry into high security zones. All such privileges should be cancelled and given to next of kin of those valiant soldiers who have died in Zarb e Azb and other more deserving citizens of Pakistan who have chosen to live and die in this country. It is time Pakistan and its limited resources be channeled solely for welfare of its citizens alone and funds raised through auction of prime real estate property for socioeconomic welfare of our citizens.
Aneela Chandio
Sukkur
Total and complete loyalty with no allegiance to any other state should be criterion for not just allotment of plots, but those already given should be cancelled. In any case giving more than one plot specifically for construction of a house is an abuse, which started during Mush era and has gone haywire thereafter. Retired Grade 22 bureaucrats who have migrated after enjoying benefits and perks of power should be made an example and so should retired uniformed officers.
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