FROM A RINGSIDE SEAT

One wonders what makes Kamil Ali Agha think that bringing everything before the Parliament would necessarily mean good governance. He is mistaken in thinking so. All what is required is political will to bring about the desired change through strict implementation with monitoring and evaluation at each and every stage to solve the problems nation is confronted with.
Otherwise no matter you may empty the coffers of the government you will not be able to get out of troubled waters. Certainly, Pakistan needs some help either from IMF or friendly countries to avoid default in external and fiscal debt payment, but as rightly pointed out by Senator Jamal Leghari would this money be used honestly to improve our national economy, for which we are running for post to pillar, without any corruption.
Though, the advisor to prime minister on finance looks confident that things would start improving with the injection of the needed amount, but would he be able to implement the roadmap to put the economy back on rails.
One ponders on his ambitious roadmap for taxing the real state and agriculture sectors and revamping administrative machinery. Would he be allowed to impose tax on feudal politicians who had the history of resisting the land reforms twice?
Would he be able to eradicate menace of corruption from public sector institutions where one has to pay huge money as bribe just for installation of electric metre? Without getting rid of corruption the country can not progress and this seems unlikely given the past track record of PPP that it would allow Advisor to go against the corrupt.
There are reports that with the advent of PPP government corruption has increased in many Ministries with Iesco under Ministry of Water and Power is on top. Recently, a friend of mine told me that he was left with no other option but to grease the palms of the staff for installation of electric metre when he lost all hopes to get done the job honestly. These are the ground realties, which the advisor will be facing while initiating measures to revamp the administration.
It is mind boggling to note that no one except Senator Professor Khurshid Ahmed spoke of prevalent corruption, which according to him is eroding the national exchequer to the tune of 10-15 percent of the GDP.
The advisor might be facing the wrath of kiths and kin of all the political parties against the implementation of his agenda so all we can hope is that he may complete his tenure and bring the country out of social and economic mess. We can also be optimistic that his promise to the Senate would not be another feather in the cap of broken promises that is embedded in the 61 years history of Pakistan.
The Senate 6-day sitting that debated President's address to the joint sitting of the Parliament was prorogued on Thursday following earthquake in Balochistan with same old rhetoric by the leader of the House Raza Rabbani that his party was committed to fulfil Charter of Democracy as opposition demanded that Parliament be taken on-board on all the important issues such as new IMF bailout package and privatisation of national entities. A thin attendance in the House was owing to earthquake in Balochistan and meeting of Senate Standing Committee of Revenue and Finance as most of the members from Balochistan have left for the province, while other were attending meeting the remaining opposition members smelled something wrong in the planned privatization.
Opposition leader in Senate, Senator Kamil Ali Agha wanted an exclusive session of the Senate on IMF-package and privatization process, asking to give up the notion of privatization plan of Qadirpur Gas Plant, Dadu Sugar Mills and selling of National Bank' of Pakistan's shares to China as these are dividends giving entities.
Professor Ibrahim of Jamat-e-Islami said that 2007 was a dark year for Pakistan as it brought a number of bad incidents like May 12 carnage followed by assassination attempt on former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto on October 18 and subsequently her death on December 27 and imposition of emergency on November 3. He demanded that the culprits involved in such incidents must be brought to book to avert repetition of such happenings in future.
He deplored that except National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO), which he termed a 'black law', no other law was implemented by the democratic government and the country was being run under extra-constitutional amendments of Musharraf.
Senator Enver Baig of PPP expressed his pessimism on the policy statement of the Finance Advisor and said it was depressing as none of our friends is ready to come forward and help us when we are in need. He urged the government to exploit the connections with Gulf countries and sent youth, particularly from the restive tribal areas to bring some relief which is need of the hour.
Rabbani said that his party believes in bringing every issue to the Parliament and all the democratic forces would be kept onboard while taking decisions of national importance. He also informed the House about the government measures taken for relief and rehabilitation in the earthquake affected areas of Balochistan.
Rabbani also informed the House about the steps taken by the government on the Khairpur incident, where a teen-aged girl was brutally killed by her family, saying that President Zardari sent MNA Nafisa Shah to the village and investigation is underway. He added that three uncles of the girl were arrested and detailed report would come within a couple of days.