Development and a stable economy is not mission impossible
The reality that politicians rarely want to admit is that most of these compounding factors operate largely outside the realm of political control
We’ve heard a lot from politicians over past decades about development, resolving electricity load-shedding problem, controlling price hike, settling the school fee structure, providing health to the poor masses, arranging jobs through industrialisation, being self-sufficient by reforms in agriculture, but all the statements were just confined to papers and media. Practically this poor nation could not find anything positive; except bridges and roads .
Yes. One chapter remained open and is instantly increasing, the corruption plus accusation chapter. Politicians are charging and indicting each other in corruption, fighting, just for power. But, one thing is for sure, they have become filthy rich, no matter how they succeed in the elections, but right after winning they become rich. Whether this foundation of becoming rich by power and corruption has been laid by Nawaz Shareef, Zardari or Zia ul Haq, is yet to be ascertained.
People of Pakistan have started feeling that up-till the feudals and army were holding power, financial corruption had rooted a little into the politics or was at a lower pace, as soon as it got shifted to the middle class, specially the business class, the corruption chapter grew very fast and with years passing by, gave a new kidney punch to the general public. The incapability and incompetence of politicians and their team members has not only stopped the development process since decades, smashed the financial arrangement but also destroyed the basic structure of the country in every field. So much so that now national assets are being mortgaged to meet the day to day expenses of our great rich politicians in power.
There’s a quote; everything more than our necessity is poison, it may be power, wealth, hunger, ego, greed, laziness, love, ambition, hate or anything.
When we take a close look at this quotation, we find every politician poisonous. While talking about wealth; Zardari, Nawaz Shareef and almost all other politicians and their subsidiaries have become filthy rich in the present political system. They not only own huge property in the country but also have gigantic property estate abroad.
When we talk about hunger, we find that the hunger of our politicians never ending, rather with the passage of time it has increased. We can take the example of Gillani, Raja, Fazal Ur Rehman and almost all other politicians. It’s difficult to control their hunger about money. So, they are highly poisonous with this element.
Picking up where Field Marshal Ayub Khan left off in the 1969 would seem a logical response to the development plan
Talking about greed; expert psychologists have studied the behaviour and conduct of politicians and concluded that their greed can never be satisfied. So, with this element they are again highly poisonous.
Coming over to ego; it’s the topic where we can clearly say that they don’t have any ego. With ego, one can’t change his affiliations with his political party and join another. So, it’s concluded that with ego, our politicians are not poisonous.
As regards laziness, once again they are not poisonous, they are not lazy in any aspect, except for attending sessions. They are always quick to grab any opportunity of making money or property. So, for this, they are not poisonous.
And ambition? They are highly intoxicated and highly poisonous. They have very high ambitions to hold positions in the civil administration, to be a minister, to have large estates, to purchase properties abroad, to settle the family abroad, to have dual nationality, etc.
Now, coming over to hate, it’s there, they hate each other from the core of their hearts. But they are always posing friendship with false smiling faces.
And finally power. They are all power hungry, at any cost, which means they are inadequately poisonous.
Both Nawaz Shareef and Zardari and their advisors have always suggested and stated that the system is “rigged” in favour of the wealthy and well-connected. Now Dar claims that the super rich who were not paying taxes are going to start paying their fair share of taxes.
Inequality has become the unexpectedly hot topic in our country. But for every time you hear politicians promising that they’ll be able to change the system, overturn the power structure and revive the middle class, here’s some advice: Don’t believe them. Wealth inequality is too ingrained in our economy to be fixed by any simple policy reform. Policy experts said the need to address inequality was “beyond question”; Scott Winship of the Manhattan Institute argued that the whole issue was a “distraction.” Inequality is a distraction. The real issue is growth.
The reality that politicians rarely want to admit is that most of these compounding factors operate largely outside the realm of political control. The narrative of a few CEOs becoming incredibly rich just by getting cozy with the government is intellectually dishonest. Even if the next prime minister and the parliament found a way to work together and reform the system as they promise, it’s doubtful that there’s much they could do to turn the tide of the shattered economy.
Still, no one can honestly claim to have all the answers and policy solutions, as is the case with just about any economic issue. Yet this contradicts an odd convention of our current political climate: We rarely hear politicians admit what they don’t know. For some reason, such an acknowledgment would be considered bad optics.
We can’t have uncertainty. Our leaders must have a plan for everything in future. This is a silly expectation. As often as is possible, good government should be operated as a cautious science, and science requires us to concede what we don’t know.
Don’t expect a second war on development, regardless of who wins the next election. Picking up where Field Marshal Ayub Khan left off in the 1969 would seem a logical response to the development plan. These proposals include controlling birth rate, raising literacy rate by reducing or eliminating school fees at state colleges and universities, controlling the fee structure of the private schools, arranging new jobs through industrialisation, boosting the industrial sector specially export oriented industries, boosting minimum wages, controlling the commodity prices, facilitating agriculture sector, raising Social Security, increasing subsidies for early childhood care; educating people with civic sense, etc.
In coming years, the greatest responsibility for any government is to step into efficient development plan. Governments can and should plan; none of this constitutes a powerful mandate for a vast new program. We know more now than we did in 1969. We are no longer so optimistic and confident of success.
Development and a stable economy is not mission impossible. Only, we have to make ourselves able to get save from the poisonous political anacondas.
