Business Recorder report (April 24) had divulged that the minister for water and power had refused to follow the Prime Minister's directive to provide 10 million (one crore) savers bulb free of cost. Instead of free distribution, reasonable prices would be charged. The novel idea of the Prime Minister and the Minister is amazing.
It is just like becoming Robin Hood on the strength of the tax payers money. We do not know who the lucky families will be to have this gift. Tenders are being invited for the import of bulbs. The tender business of the government is not a secret.
The simple and common sense approach would have been to exempt the saving bulbs from customs duties and other levies. The cost will be reduced by seventy five percent making the bulbs affordable to any one. What is happening to Zakat distribution and Baitul Maal will happen to the saver's distribution.
There is another report on the records of PPP and PML-N in the same issue of the Business Recorder, with a tarnishing reflection over the performance of both the parties during their periods in office in the 1990.
Yet another news release reveals that during 2003-2008 over Rs one billion was spent on President Musharraf's world visits. Why to pick on the President alone? The former Prime Minister, ministers, the Caretaker premier and their platoons had their full shares of the cake during their periods. Rather, every one who came to power did not lag behind in washing their hands in the silver flowing river in Pakistan. The river's course is limited.
From the State Bank of Pakistan to the President, Prime Minister's palaces to the lovely home of the ministers and the public elected representatives. Now there will be a Kashmir committee to be headed by an MMA elected leader, who had already enjoyed this committee during the period of Shaheed Benazir Bhutto. An interesting news, the former British premier was caught travelling without a ticket. This is democracy.
Imagine the result if you ask a traffic police constable why he has stopped you while driving, in Karachi Banaras and Kasi are sacred, holy and religious places to which Hindus travel, to worship. We have never read that the Indian prime minister or the president or even any minister might had gone there on pilgrimage.
Compare that state of affairs with that of our rulers, who time and again, take fully loaded aircrafts for Umra and Haj at the state's expenses. The erstwhile Caretaker prime ministers and his ministers did not miss the chance. And our finance minister had a hurried visit to America, to give a beginning to others in waiting.
The only legendary figure within this scribe's humble knowledge is that of Colonel Naseer, the President of Egypt who preferred to live in his modest home instead of palace, never took trips abroad, taught the Arabs their dignity as an Arab nation and stood up to Israel and Britain by blocking the Suez Canal. He is still fondly remembered as an Arab hero.
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