Are we planning to restructure the public enterprises without cutting their work-force?
CHANTILLY, VA, US: This is with reference to Dr Pervez Tahir’s article of January 21 titled “The 45-day agenda”. Is the writer suggesting that Pakistan cannot cut spending? Of course any 30 per cent cut must apply to the free-wheeling provinces as well.
Are we planning to restructure the public enterprises without cutting their work-force? Which country has pulled that off? What needs to be done is to freeze pay and perks for top management and cut the workforce across-the-board by, at least, 40 per cent. Those who are laid off should be given a golden handshake. That happened with the banks and now they are all in the private sector.
Also, I would phrase “withdrawal of the petroleum price rise” differently since, for me, it is the restoration of a subsidy to Pakistan’s rich.
Dr Meekal Aziz Ahmed
Published in The Express Tribune, January 22nd, 2011.
