Sindh – a graveyard of commissions and authorities

Inspired by the necropolis of Chowkandi and Makli, The Sindh government has done well in creating an equally distinguished graveyard of Commissions and Authorities. These deceased institutions were formed by putting together innovative government notifications, imaginary names, virtual locations and hypothetical functions.
The mausoleum of Sindh Information Commission is one such prominent piece of architecture. Required by the Sindh Transparency & Right to Information Act 2016, the people of Sindh still await the resurrection of the Commission that was promised in the ancient holy statutes of the Sindh Government.
The next distinguished structure belongs to the dysfunctional Sindh Child Protection Authority that was required to be created by the Child Protection Act of 2011. Having conducted a virtual meeting about one year back, this Authority gracefully opted to retire and occupy its rightful place in the committee of other distinguished necropolis residents.
A yet another tombstone reads ‘Sindh Occupational Health & Safety Council’. This Council was required to be created under the Sindh Health & Safety Act 2017. Health & Safety of workers not being the concern of the elite, this Council continues to permanently occupy its heavenly abode.
A more recent structure in the grave yard is that of the Sindh Public Safety and Police Complaint Commission. There is nothing to suggest that this Commission is willing to trade its existing virtual status with anything real or meaningful, any time soon. The graveyard is replete with many other Commissions, Authorities, Councils and Committees, no longer remembered or recognised, but happy to enjoy their state of non-existence.
The saddest aspect of this necropolis is that not one amongst its residents has had the conscience to stand up and renounce his / her virtual (and dysfunctional) status. Clearly ‘May you rest in peace’, was not coined for this category of inhabitants.
Naeem Sadiq

September 2019