KARACHI:
During a recent conference, the President of Pakistan stressed transparency in financial matters.
What the ruling elite and powerful stakeholders of this country must realise is that instead of lecturing the public, they need to act as role models, ensuring transparency and austerity, with no conflicts of interest and restrain themselves and their families from abusing state resources for personal benefit.
Strict financial discipline and respect for rule of law must start from the very top and only then will it trickle down. We must emulate the Quaid-e-Azam and adopt his austerity measures and vision in letter and spirit. He was amongst the few, perhaps the only politician, who never exploited religion for political purposes and succeeded to achieve independence and carve out a separate country for the Muslim majority to live in peace and harmony with members of other faiths.
When constitutional public office holders are seen regularising their irregular constructions and real estate investments then their lectures will have little impact on the masses. The colonial rule’s legacy of allotting state land to individuals serving them continues today, which has led to crimes like china-cutting, illegally occupying land, etc. Political leaders must lead by example. The misuse of state helicopters by party heads for political campaigns sends a very wrong message to the public. Abuse of power and conflicts of interest among those holding powerful public offices has become routine in Pakistan. It is ironic to expect the masses who are already living hand to mouth to adopt austerity and bear the brunt of excessive inflation and financial crunch when politicians are unwilling to give up their luxuries.
Malik Tariq Ali
Karachi
Published in The Express Tribune, January 17th, 2023.
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