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It was generally expected that PM Shaukat Aziz would inculcate a corporate culture in state-owned corporations like the KESC, PIA etc. However the ground realities are not very encouraging, inspite of changes in the top management.
What we see is a tendency to bloat in self praise and indulge in frequent unnecessary foreign trips to Europe, USA and other Far East destinations.
There is this insane and senseless drive to present a 'soft image', which is based on a bizarre misunderstanding of what it means. The month of September saw many of these so-called corporate bosses bee-line to London for birthday the celebrations of a self exiled politician and coalition member of this regime.
This by itself, exposes the absence of corporate ethics in Pakistan's semi autonomous corporations. These bosses spend very little time sitting in their offices or visiting other major Pakistani cities. They are either abroad or networking in Islamabad.
State-owned corporations are owned by tax payers and their elected representatives must review travel expenses and other perks of CEOs, to stop any misuse of authority and public funds. Perhaps it would not be a bad idea to review the preceding six months, or annual, expenses, incurred on foreign trips and TA/DA etc.
The Auditor General of Pakistan, Senate standing committees, SECP and other regulatory bodies must carry out an auditing of top management expenses, to ensure that there is no financial mismanagement or abuse of discretionary powers.
There must also be check on the perks of nominated members of the Board of Directors and choice of venue where meetings are scheduled, especially if they are proposed to be held in foreign countries.
It is time to enforce administrative reforms, which will keep a check on the abuse of power and help restore administrative sanity.
What we have today is a cocktail of feudal culture, lure of outdated colonial traditions and a concocted corporate culture, which does not exist anywhere either in the developed contries or in the Asian Tigers within our region.
Self discipline within the top echelons of our public and state owned corporations is a must, if we as a nation desire to match our economic growth to countries like China, India, Malaysia etc.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2005

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