Why can't I see my taxes working!

Every month, money is deducted from my salary in the name of taxes. I work for it, I earn it, and a portion of it goes to the government. Fine. But where are the results? If my money is being collected for the country's development, then why do the services my taxes pay for never seem to reach my own four walls? Is my money building a better Pakistan, or is it lining the pockets of a system that bleeds me dry and gives back scraps?

Why can't I see Karachi's public roads being properly developed? Why can't I see free, quality education for every child? Why can't I see clean drinking water reaching every household? Why can't I see a proper drainage system that prevents Karachi from turning into a swimming pool whenever it rains? Why can't I see footpaths that pedestrians can actually walk on instead of broken concrete, encroachments and open manholes? Why can't I see a public transport system that allows working-class commuters to get to work without being drained by the journey?

Why can't I see public schools with functioning toilets, clean classrooms, qualified teachers and proper furniture? Why can't I see government hospitals with enough beds, medical equipment and doctors who are not overwhelmed by endless queues? Why can't I see streetlights working in areas where women and children have to walk after sunset? Why can't I see a proper waste management system instead of garbage becoming a rotting fixture of residential streets?

And I could ask "why can't I see?" forever, but the better question is: why can't they see what they've done?

Why does being a citizen now come with a second bill for everything? I pay taxes, then pay school fees. I pay taxes, then pay hospital bills. I pay taxes, then pay for private transport because public transport is inadequate. I pay taxes, then pay for bottled water because clean drinking water cannot always be trusted. I pay taxes, then pay for private security because I am worried about safety. At this point, am I funding a government or running a parallel government out of my own pocket?

Taxes are not charity or donations. They are not money citizens hand over so officials can congratulate themselves on collecting revenue. Taxes are public money, and public money must serve the public.

Of course, running a country costs money. Nobody expects a country to be rebuilt in a week. But financial limitations are one thing; failing to show where public money goes, what progress has been made, and who answers when projects fail is another. If I am expected to pay taxes on time, I have every right to expect accountability on time.

I am not asking for gold-plated roads, private hospitals for every neighbourhood, or luxury facilities on every street. I am asking for what any taxpayer is owed. Clean water. Safe roads. Quality education. Accessible healthcare. Reliable transport. Proper sanitation. Public spaces that are maintained.

Do not tell me that taxes are necessary. I know they are. Tell me what they are achieving. Do not show me another announcement, another ribbon-cutting ceremony, or another development project on paper. Show me the road that has been repaired, the school that has been improved, the hospital that can treat patients, and the neighbourhood that finally has clean water.

A country cannot keep demanding financial sacrifice from its citizens while expecting them to remain satisfied with excuses. Patriotism does not mean switching off your brain, closing your eyes, and applauding every decision made in your name. Sometimes, patriotism means asking legitimate, justified and long-overdue questions because you want your country to function better.