The president’s speech

Big on substance

Finally the president delivers a presidential speech, even if it was far removed from reality in the present setting. Corruption is bad, good governance is good, and devolution of power is best, implied Mamnoon Hussain at a seminar the other day, when elaborating on governance at the presidency. Perhaps this was a speech more suited for an internal party meeting. Despite two years in power again, the N-league is – like its predecessor – dogged by allegations of corruption, lack of transparency and poor governance, not to mention its continuing dislike for local body elections.

But then, all things considered, perhaps it’s not the best idea to give the Sharifs any good ideas. Ch Sarwar tried and he ended up on the other side of the dharna frontier. Clearly the president – just as ceremonial a post – was also chosen for optics, not substance. And should he, like Sarwar, harbour real political or societal ambitions – like taking on the land mafia, etc – he too would know the more prudent path to take, and that does not involve making speeches from the presidency.

Yet there was much substance in the president’s speech. There can be no denying that corruption has eaten up governance and service delivery. Favouritism and cronyism have come to personify the PML-N. The leadership – while posturing to defend democracy whenever politic – continues to resist real transfer of power to the grassroot, which is the essence of representative government. Its senior ministers have not reached the level of political maturity required to willingly let go of development funds that are meant for the country and the people. And, all things considered, the president must have bit his own lip while mentioning the bit about transparency in public procurement and contracting systems. In spirit, much of the president’s observations were spot on, but they should have been directed more to people like the finance minister, who has confessed to money laundering yet enjoys one of the highest offices in the land. Charity begins at home, Mr President.