Economy measures – why not for the rich?

Considering that Pakistan is hanging by the skin of its teeth to avoid bankruptcy and default, its 35 million people drowning, displaced and dilapidated by floods and its 90 percent sanitation workers and private security guards deprived of their due minimum legal wage of 25,000, your recently suggested economy measures are highly welcome. However these measures reflect deceit and duality when considered in light of the following outrageous, ostentatious and unwarranted spendings.

1. The train load of 76 Ministers, Advisors, Ministers of State and Special Assistants betrays and makes your economy drive appear a façade. If you really mean business, the first step ought to be to slash these free-loaders to less than 15.

2. The Establishment Division’s notification promoting 350 officers to Grade 20 and 21 is a slap on the face of Pakistan’s poor. It places an additional and unwanted burden of Rs 3 billion per year on national exchequer. So, even in a sinking Pakistan, your aim is only to loot the exchequer and to enrich the already rich. If you really mean business, these promotions need to be de-notified and all promotions put on hold fill the economy has fully recovered.

3. In October 2022, the Lahore High Court bought 308 new cars for its judicial officers. That is roughly 500 million Rupees of completely avoidable expense.

4. In September 2022 , the Punjab Chief Minister, notwithstanding hundreds of already available luxury cars, decided to buy 40 more luxury vehicles, at a cost of Rs 305 million.

5. Pakistan has 150,000 government vehicles (add fuel and drivers), being ruthlessly misused by its officials. The UK government operates only with 81 cars and those too are kept in a car pool. Purchase of all new government vehicles ought to be completely banned and the obscene number of 150,000 vehicles already held by government officials be withdrawn, sold and the money deposited in national exchequer.

Any austerity measures will be respected only when they begin from the top. Continuing to provide obscene luxuries to the rich ruling class and talking of austerity is making a mockery of the people of Pakistan, their intelligence and their sufferings.

Sincerely

Naeem Sadiq

PS** The above letter was sent to the following three designations. If you agree, you may also do the same. Regards

Mr. Muhammad Ishaq Dar

Finance Minister, Q-Block, Finance Division, Pak Secretariat, Islamabad

Mr. Khawaja Muhammad Asif

Minister for Defence, Ministry of Defence, Murree Road, Saddar, Rawalpindi

Cabinet Secretary, Cabinet Secretariat, Constitution Avenue, Islamabad