Promises made, promises broken

Commitments given by the government on the floor of the house are legally binding. And the government can be taken to task on not delivering on them through the very useful ‘government assurances committee’. Here are few of the promises which are directly relevant to peoples issues made in the assembly. If the democratic parliamentary committee system is followed the government can be brought to deliver on these promises.

Haji Naimatullah Kakar on June 2, 2008: “No one will be allowed to make construction on agricultural land.” If he was taken to task no government ministers or highest officials would have had the audacity to grab land and then start an encroachment drive against themselves.

Syed Naveed Qamar on June 2, 2008: Clean drinking water projects to set up filtration plants nationwide will be completed by Sept 30, 2008 except for Punjab where they will be completed by March 2009.

Again, Syed Naveed Qamar on June 9, 2008: “We will give targeted subsidies to those people who cannot afford everyday commodities.” We are the fifth most-starved nation in the world.

Raja Pervaiz Ashraf on Nov 12, 2008 and June 10, 2009: “There will be no loadshedding by Dec 31, 2009 in Pakistan.” And: “24-hour electricity will be provided to textile industry, 18 hours to power looms, flour, ghee mills.”

Rehman Malik on June 9, 2008: “We will give a good package to our officers and security personnel injured or killed in the war.”

Sherry Rehman on June 10, 2008: “We have trained 10,000 lady health workers as promised by the prime minister and in five years we will be training 100,000 more.”

Parliamentary secretary for agriculture, Aug 13, 2008: “We will be producing BT cotton seed in Pakistan by August 2010.” Not done yet. And where are the seeds?

Raja Pervaiz Ashraf on Nov 12, 2008: “We are currently generating one per cent from nuclear energy and talks are underway with China and within three to four months we will conclude something.” What became of this, minister?

Minister for education on Nov 14, 2008: ‘The financial crunch has affected the education department but the projects that are ongoing we will not want them to be closed down’ So much for a knowledge-based economy or any forward movement for Pakistan.

Minister for agriculture, Nov 19, 2008: After the announcement of highly attractive wheat support prices of Rs950 per 40 kilograms, the ministry expects that if weather conditions remain favourable Pakistan will achieve its target of 25 million tons ensuring self sufficiency in wheat next year.’ Instead, we saw an acute shortage of wheat.

Other than that many infrastructure projects deadlines, including roads, have all been missed. And who suffers? Ordinary Pakistanis. Those who sit inside parliament need to ensure that the system to hold the government accountable works.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 28^th, 2010.