Bringing about change

Why is there talk of change? I remember having discussed the reasons for change including uprising/revolution many months ago. Today, it seems, this push for change has gained momentum and every so-called 'leader' is discussing it in various combinations, mostly for power-grabbing purposes – and this doesn’t signify true change. The obvious reason for the current urgency for bringing about change is that otherwise we may see a collapse in our financial, administrative and international credibility.

Whilst the flood has only accentuated the administrative failures of governance, the fault lines have been creating credibility issues for over two years. The current flood relief and rehabilitation fiascos are multiplying to such a large extent that the international community is talking of wanting to deal with a financially responsible government.

The Rs4.7 billion sitting in the Prime Minister’s Relief Fund needs to be spent equitably.

Instead it’s simply sitting there while millions of people sit on the roads, shelterless and hungry. The statistical inaccuracies being reported at all levels, that of the DCO (district coordination officer) to the PDMA (provincial disaster management agency) and the NDMA (National Disaster Management Agency) are causing much confusion. The disconnect between international aid and the affected population is so acute that of the $615 million given so far, only 31 per cent has been spent as per government statistics. The mishandling of the so-called ‘Watan’ cards scheme has led to rioting by flood victims. The criminal matter of breaching dykes also needs to be investigated via a judicial commission. Visits to flooded areas where victims have returned have led me to the conclusion that the government is way off-target in terms of the reconstruction effort.

The following, if carried out, could be the saving grace for a failed government. It is worth reminding that had it followed its own deadline for its austerity plan, it would have met at least with some success. The following needs to be done: 1. Making the governance structure of public sector enterprises transparent and merit-based. 2. Rationalisation of government size by reducing the number of ministries. 3. Improving budgetary measures by linking development programmes with result-oriented performance 4. Curtailing foreign visits, especially of the prime minister and president, and only using commercial flights. 5. Cutting office expenditures of senior functionaries by 50 per cent. 6.  Curtailing vehicle entourages of senior functionaries. 7 Abolishing VIP wards and lounges. 8. Ensuring energy efficiency in government offices.

The political instability is self-created and not the result of ‘political actors’ out to get the PPP government. Whoever can deliver will never be in a position to be destabilised. I believe Pakistanis are looking for financial and patriotic credibility in their leaders. They are looking for proper leadership from the government already in place. We are on the right clean-up track even though it may seem a frightfully painful and time-consuming proposition.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 29^th, 2010.