Pakpattan, Chakwal and now Lahore
Imran Khan’s promise to put an end to political interference in matters of the bureaucracy is already an uphill task and if recent incidents of this perpetual problem are any indication it is going to take some doing to root out the malaise that has been allowed to fester for too long. Pakpattan’s DPO was removed from his post for allegedly misbehaving with the first lady’s ex-husband who also happens to be related to CM Punjab Usman Buzdar. Chakwal’s DC complained that a PTI MNA was pressurizing him to transfer officials from various departments. The latest incident in Lahore involves Punjab’s provincial minister for prisons Zawar Hussain accompanied by six civilians in complete violation of Pakistan Prison Rules 1978 forced entry into barracks housing over a hundred dangerous terrorists at Kot Lakhpat jail, restricted senior officials of the jail to accompany him and remained there for six hours holding ‘meetings’ with the prisoners. While the minister’s office has termed the incident a raid to investigate claims of bribes being taken by officials at the jail it is still a blatant disregard of protocol by the minister and a serious breach of security that the barracks of high value prisoners were forcefully unlocked, which could have resulted in them escaping. A thorough investigation of the incident is necessary to ascertain exactly what the minister was doing there considering the shocking nature of the allegations.
Political interference is however just one aspect of the mammoth task of bureaucratic reforms that the PM has entrusted former SBP governor Ishrat Hussain with. The process of selection starting from the CSS examination – famous for testing one’s memory more than concepts and understanding of a topic – to the interview process and placement has to be reviewed and updated and brought up to modern standards. Salaries also remain abysmally low, which encourages corrupt practices. The bureaucracy serves elected officials who serve the people and in order to run smoothly both have to respect the laws, procedures and protocols that are in place. Violation of these defined limits has to be met with strict action against the offender be it an elected official or a bureaucrat.
