Continuation of Zardari’s policies

The choice of a commercial banker, a favourite of PPP, to head State Bank of Pakistan, which is supposed to be a regulatory monetary institution, is a cause of alarm. Take, for instance, the decision by MINISTRY OF FINANCE to give yet another waiver to politically powerful lobby of foreign used car smugglers, allowing them to regularise this illegitimacy by paying a nominal surcharge for all vehicles smuggled into country until 31 December, 2013. It does not end here, the former crony of AZ, appointed as MD PIAC in 2008, responsible for its plunder and financial collapse has been facilitated with full seniority after absence of three years, during which he served in Turkish Airline and ran a catering firm based in UK, supplying in-flight food services for all PIA flights in Europe. The Turkish rental power ship Karkey which was declared by none other than Supreme Court to have defrauded Pakistan national exchequer of $250 million was allowed to leave Karachi without paying single cent, on intervention of federal government.

This government got votes with promises of good governance, transparency and loud claims to launch an accountability process, to bring back looted money, instead what has been initiated is a process to regularize all these heists. It continues to pursue policies of Musharraf and Zardari by preferring appointment of dual nationals to key public offices, whilst giving contracts for construction of airports, housing societies to individuals who have moved all their assets abroad, leading to a massive flight of capital and brain drain. In essence only faces have changed, not much in real terms, except the rhetoric. It seems that Pakistani citizens, holding no foreign nationality, in the eyes of our ruling elite, are not fit to hold either any public office, nor facilitated for business opportunities. How unfortunate for Quaid’s Pakistan that its destiny is in hands of those who have no confidence in investing their earning here, nor find this country suitable for their children to live in.

ABRAR KHOSA

Faisalabad