On a lighter note

Some recent government decisions show a skewed sense of priorities

Some recent government decisions and politicians’ statements remind one of a line of verse read in school, Day by day, in every way, I have been getting better. The government of Balochistan has made wearing of uniforms compulsory for students from March 1, 2020. A government circular says the uniform will be available from a particular shop in the provincial capital.

Here it does not take much intelligence to see the element of patronage. This also shows a skewed sense of priorities. First, the university should have paid attention to improving its public image that recently received a battering after a scandal of sexual harassment at the varsity surfaced. Students alleged that officials of the university administration placed hidden cameras in student washrooms and other places within the campus to blackmail them. This has reportedly resulted in many female students leaving the university. This, of course, does not augur well for the future of education in the province. Whether the decision about wearing of uniforms will really bring the intended result, it does not matter. The low literacy level does not matter. Ghost schools and ghost teachers don’t matter.

However, politicians’ shenanigans do not stop in one province. At a time when the smog level has gone beyond the tolerance level in Punjab, Minister of State for Climate Change Zartaj Gul has not only downplayed the smog issue, she has dismissed reports as entirely fake news. She has tried to give a political twist to the issue, saying smog has increased in Punjab because smoke-emitting vehicles carrying people to the JUI-F dharna are passing through the province. Another hilarious comment has come from a Sindh minister. As Karachi has been witnessing an attack of locusts for the past few days, the provincial minister of agriculture has advised people to make biryani and barbecue with these bugs, saying people will love this insect food. Do politicians believe what they say?

Published in The Express Tribune, November 12^th, 2019.

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