Pakistan – Step forward, reform and compete with the rest of the world – Part 4.

Pakistan – Step forward, reform and compete

with the rest of the world – Part 4.

O’zbekiston Temir Yo’llari, the government operated railway of Uzbekistan posted a profit of 230 billion Sum in 2023.   For the same period, Pakistan Railway, also a government organisation, ran into losses of Rs55 billion.

O’zbekiston Pochtasi, also called “Uzbekistan Post”, made a profit of half a billion Som in 2023. For the same period Pakistan Post suffered a loss of Rs21 billion.

 Uzbekistan Airline, in 2024, made a profit of US$53.2 million. PIA, a far more experienced airline of a neighbouring country, continued its downward slide and posted a loss of Rs75 billion during 2023-24.   The list is endless.

The government of Pakistan refuses to confront the reality.  Instead of plugging these gaping financial wounds, it keeps recklessly increasing its own luxuries and wasteful governance expenses – salary and size of its ministries, purchases of thousands of cars, extended visits abroad, political bribes to bureaucrats and billions wasted on personal publicity and narcissism.

The ordinary Pakistani is listless, annoyed and fed up with these losses and luxuries. He wants to see the heavy cargo of deadwood and parasites to be discharged to save the sinking ship. He wants to see an end to the nepotistic governance by unprofessional friends and relatives.  He wants to see the dismantling of all unwarranted and unmerited posts, Commissions, Authorities and Departments, that serve no one but themselves. Doing away with the post of Deputy PM would be a good litmus test.

Born half a century later, Uzbekistan is today conveniently half a century ahead of Pakistan. We too could compete with the real world, if we leave the past behind, step forward and reform.

Naeem Sadiq

March 26, 2025