Pathological addiction to government vehicles
Our real challenge
February 26, 2023Cruelty at Pakistan Monument. Attn. Chairman CDA
March 22, 2023Pathological addiction to government vehicles.
The only country in the world whose 150,000 government vehicles do not run on fuel. Instead they run on the blood of its poor people. This is the Pakistan of today. Politically and financially bankrupt, hanging by the skin of its teeth, blatantly begging the world for petty cash – but unwilling to let go of any of the luxuries of its own well-heeled, well-bribed and well-pampered elite.
The scale of plunder and misuse is mind-boggling. 20 percent of all cars that visited the northern areas for tourism and holidays this season carried official green number plates. A keen observer will find the same ratio at shopping malls, parks and restaurants. A small street in DHA has 6 government vehicles parked for last 12 years – misused by the family, friends and staff of a single MPA from Sindh. Needless to say that the fuel, repair and drivers are sponsored by the poor people of Pakistan.
UK, who ruled us for 200 years has 86 government vehicles – none allocated to any individual and all kept in a central pool. (See attached info obtained under the Right to Information). A Minister or bureaucrat explains the purpose of the visit, signs a requisition, uses the vehicle and signs again for the distance and cost incurred.
On 27 February 2023, Pakistan government unabashedly disclosed in the National Assembly of its insane act of purchasing vehicles worth over Rs57 million, ostensibly for “foreign guests”. In December 2022, the AJK government confirmed purchase of 152 vehicles for its bureaucrats and judiciary at a cost of Rs872 million. In September 2022, the Punjab government approved a bribe of 40 new vehicles (costing Rs300 million) for its cabinet members. Not to be left behind, in October 2022, the Lahore High Court purchased 308 new cars (costing Rs500 million), for its judicial officers.
Do the people of Pakistan know that only in the last six months, besides the already held 150,000 vehicles, government purchased additional vehicles at a cost of Rs1.729 billion for the appeasement and luxury of its already spoiled brats. This is not just corruption. This is plunder and rape of an already drowning nation by its own ruling class.
Will the people of Pakistan stand up and unanimously demand an end to this vulgarity. Let every government vehicle be withdrawn, sold and the money used to give at least the minimum legal wage to every sanitation worker and every private security guard of Pakistan.
That will be the day, Pakistan will change forever.
Naeem Sadiq
