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Demo-crassy rules
The rural masses are fed on empty promises, kept poor and beholden to the landlord. Doesn't sound like democracy.
The writer is a barrister and a public policy graduate from Harvard University mahreen.khan@tribune.com.pk
It is bizarre that of all the financial austerity measures that were possible, the government’s first choice was to slash funding for education. Higher education is apparently an unbearable waste of money for this nation whereas the millions of rupees spent annually on feeding the super-rich MNAs and their cronies are not. These MNAs gorged on food worth Rs11.57 million in just 10-15 days in the recent budget session. All around the world, parliament buildings have cafeterias where the “servants of the nation” pay for their own meals. Why can’t the super wealthy MNAs of Pakistan do the same? Their average declared wealth stands at a staggering Rs80.89 million (2008-2009). Mind you, that’s “declared” wealth.
Higher education, from which the middle class benefits the most, is more expendable than the lavish expenses of the Prime Minister House and the Presidency, the fleet of customised, luxury vehicles, lavish protocol and five star foreign trips. This nation needs PhDs. It does not need fleets of bullet-proof Mercedes for the rich and powerful. But this country will continue to fund the rich and powerful, cutting essential public services to subsidise elite privileges, because the very people who are the beneficiaries of these special privileges are sitting in the assemblies. They decide what to tax and what not to. It seems that your tax liability is inversely proportional to your wealth, if you are a member of the elite class. Nawaz Sharif reportedly paid just Rs5,000 in income tax last year, less than the average office worker would pay per month. Many other prominent figures across political parties have a similarly appalling record, including the president, Prime Minister Gilani and a host of prominent figures. Only the wretched middle class pays taxes. Their salaries, already decimated by rampant inflation are slashed at source to fill the coffers of an inept and corrupt government. They are further burdened by indirect taxation on food, fuel and utilities.
Given the measly tax base, the finance minister has appealed for both houses (of parliament) to put pressure on the “elites” to bring their wealth, including agricultural incomes, into the net of taxation. Yet the power elites will never pass legislation to tax themselves. They will continue to burden the middle class with new taxes; a “flood surcharge”, which will meet the fate of tax revenues already being squandered away. What is not siphoned off in corruption is wasted, due to the ineptitude of those appointed on the basis of nepotism and cronyism. Reveal the identities and you find an incestuous network where the same extended families hold the bureaucracy, political parties, the assemblies, industry, banking, agriculture and land ownership in their grasp, forging alliances with the military and judiciary through marriages, businesses and patronage. Bank loans in the millions are given to the chosen few and then written off. Vast swathes of agricultural land escape taxes on income as well as benefitting from generous subsidies on fertilisers, inputs and fuel. Support prices for agricultural produce are fixed by the very people who are the producers.
Blatant conflicts of interest and duty pervade every important committee and institution. Yet the urban middle class is squeezed with inflation, taxation and ruthless enforcement of loan repayments – one missed instalment incurring life changing consequences with homes and small businesses seized, family vehicles repossessed by banks and credit card companies even in times of genuine distress, triggering suicides and ruin. The rural masses are fed on empty promises, kept poor, illiterate and beholden to the landlord, the patwari and the SHO. Does this sound like democracy of “equal rights for all and special privileges for none”? Not at all — it is a perversion, a greedy oligarchy. But the politicians have been telling us all along what system we live under – just listen carefully. We have “demo – crassy”. It’s exactly what they say it is folks!
Published in The Express Tribune, September 25th, 2010.
Reader Comments (21)
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Mahreen – The topic ‘Demo-crassy rules’ should be read as “Demo Crazy Rules”.Recommend
Brilliant article!! You have just taken the words from my heart!! But the problem is that we don’t really have a choice do we?? We have tried the militiary and that hasn’t worked either so I guess the only choice we have is to stand by ‘demo-crassy’ and wait for leaders who are sincere and have a vision for this country!!Recommend
What about the army; another white elephant which gets 30% of budget resources but uses civilians to fight wars.Recommend
that’s a brilliant effort rightly expressed emotions of every affectee in this country. we have sacrificed enough already and we are ready for more only at the cost of countryRecommend
@faraz
Military budget is 400 billion.
Corruption in just customs (Thanks to afghan transit agreement) is 800Billion.
But that will not be fashionable to say, wouldn’t it!!!!
$%#%^$^Recommend
@Faraz – agreed, the finance ministry has declared to the IMF that the military budget has been hiked. Fair enough, but just goes to show that our government is more transparent to foreign actors than to the people of Pakistan. Why does the military need to get an entourage of staff cars, why do the golf courses need to be maintained, why do officer mess halls need to be renovated in a time of economic recession?Recommend
Dear writer, defense budget has been increased Rs. 110 Billion to Rs. 550 Billion and no reasons given, this is the country we live in.Recommend
Why blame politicians only ? Why they only have to become the “scapegoat” everytime ? What about the Generals ? No one, absolutely no one talking about the recent 20% increase in defence budget. Rs. 11.5 Million on MNAs food ! Would you or could you please also elaborate how much a corps commander costs us per month ? or is it a “conflict of interests” ? ? ?Recommend
“Govt of Elite, by the elite for the elite means democracy in Pakistan. God save us from democrates
10 donkeys will never elect a lion they will prefer a donkey. Until there is education in pakistan, democracy will remain a curse.Recommend
I agree with the general part……..Why do we forget about their corruption? But nice analysis and sounds like voice if my heart,,,,,,,,,,Recommend
Why are people harping endlessly about military expenditure…?
If India increases its share by a huge margin… it isn’t to sit around a bonfire singing songs…
they want to strengthen their military for a reason… and its us and china. Live in the real world.
Pakistan military needs funding, and increased funding… especially when we are fighting a huge war against the fake taliban (read indian agents), committing itself to rescue operations and rehabilitation of flood victims, etc.
Why slash government spending on education? Why not on president house and prime minister house? Or on their foreign trips to see their French chateaus? Where are the austerity measures?
Military needs all the funding they can get… its to safeguard our borders and ensure our survival.Recommend
@ Faraz
Thanks for point it out and setting the ball rolling. As a nation we resemble a begger who has a kashkol (begging bowl) in one hand, and a kalashnikov in the other.Recommend
I think I’ve said this before but I’ll say it again.
Why should the ruling powerful 2% which includes the armed forces put austerity measures on themselves ?? So that the 98% can have a descent existence – that’s a joke.
The 2% have figured out that the 98% will keep on waiting for Allah to intervene and so as the saying goes ‘they have it made’.Recommend
democracy is indeed the only option but what we can do is not give more chances to people who we have already tried because they just dont deserve it and we for the sake of our country should realize that they are not going to change things for us but worsen them.. Try new ones probably a political party in which there are more qualified and poor people like us! To me this is the only hope and the best we can do for our country.Recommend
The reason Mr. Nawaz doesn’t pay much tax because his income is exempt from tax as per my knowledge his declared sources of income is Government employee and Agriculture, (hmmmmm other sources are undeclared) that why no one can blame him to pay more. I think not just Mr. Nawaz all politicians pay full tax on their declared income and as per the election commission it is not necessary to declare sources of income or assets just declare your current assets (no matter how you get it) enough to become an MNA or NPA. It also is very helpful to those who want to invest or want to start new business just follow our leader to save tax.
Sincerely yours.Recommend
Now thats what i call quality .Recommend
“This nation needs PhDs”. I beg your pardon this nation where the effective (pseudo) literacy rate hovers around 25% needs more people with a high school diploma than PhD’s. And on top of that the dubious figure of 25 % literacy is just that for the fact that there are plenty of Masters and PhD’s walking around Pakistan that cannot effectively put together an e-mail let alone a PPT presentation. In other words plenty of functional illiterates.
So what’s new? Tax the middle class into extinction? Well that happens even as I write. Pakistan ranks amongst other meaningful things at the bottom tiers with perhaps the lowest tax base. Everybody is someone cousin or have Leroy has their brother-in-law. What you have described in a roundabout way is the feudal mindset that plagues Pakistan. Then everybody and their Uncle wants democracy in this feudal infested society. A failed state, with warped religious ideology Pakistan is a country that dares all to walk on thin ice. The sad fact is that this cat does not have many lives left.Recommend
Well, Pakistani competition with India for military strength has ruined it. India is far stable, stable and more importantly fast growing power. Even if Pakistan tries to match half of what India spends on defence is ludicrous and is well out of its means. India never attacked Pakistan, ironically enough. The high military expenditure is not justified, hence.
Pakistan spends 60% of its budget on defence and loan payments. No wonder there is no money for development.Recommend
@Anoop – try concentrating on your own country and its Commonwealth Games Shame rather than lecturing us ad nauseam.
Any excellent article. This is the quandary we find ourselves in – how to get democracy not demo-crassy.Recommend
The Generals are not sitting in the assemblies are they? Who is authorising the defence budget (which I think should be maintained).? The corrupt bureaucrats and politicians who are in collusion with the establishment – thats well said in the article – they are all the same people in different guises.Recommend
@ali akbar,
If Pakistan fails and becomes another Afghanistan it affects us severely. Hence, my concern is justified.
Regarding the CWG, at-least India has the capacity to host it,even though the organizers screwed it up. Does any kind of International Sport happen in Pakistan? ANY? Even Sri Lankan and Chinese sports-persons are afraid to come after Pakistani militants attacked the Sri Lankan Cricket convoy.
Really smart for you to point out the CWG fiasco. Atleast International teams come to India. Pakistan is completely isolated in International sports.
Since, we are talking about sports, its really funny how you guys spit in the face of people who came forward to help and host Pakistani cricket team- ECB. Say goodbye to England-based home series. Hilarious. I love Ijaz Butt.
Just to put things in perspective on where the 2 countries stand and how better we are placed, we have spent more money on CWG than Pakistan spends for Defence in one year. Competition with us will ruin your economy, like it has already, and if the donors stop bailing Pakistan out there is a high chance of Pakistan failing sooner rather than later.Recommend