Why can’t government and opposition agree on competent, firm, fair, honest individual who enjoys good reputation.
RAWALPINDI: A commotion was raised recently in the Sindh Assembly by the honourable minister Sharjeel Memon over the alleged postings of the IG and the chief secretary Sindh, which were promptly rescinded by the powers that be. Does the honourable minister think that the present officers holding these high positions would oblige them for anything right or wrong and that the new incumbents won’t? And if they do, then such officers are not even worth their salt.
Similarly, the prime minister and the leader of the opposition have not been able to agree upon the name of the person to be appointed as chairman of the National Accountability Bureau for the past many weeks and days. Eventually, the Supreme Court had to step in and give the government a deadline — of September 13 — to appoint one. Why can’t the government and the opposition agree on an individual who is competent, firm, fair, honest and enjoys a good reputation. There is no dearth of such people in Pakistan. Why must they have a man of their own choice?
The fact of the matter is that almost all our elected representatives want to have civil servants of their choice posted in their constituencies, right down to the SHO, local patwari and even the area lineman. The reason why they want this is because once posted, the officials will oblige the local MPA/MNA since he (the official) will owe the legislator a favour for helping him get appointed to that particular post.
And then we call this democracy!
Colonel (retd) Riaz Jafri
Published in The Express Tribune, September 8th, 2013.
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