SEF concerned over deteriorating economic indicators

Members of the Sindh Economic Forum (SEF) expressed serious concern over deteriorating economic indicators in the province and increasing poverty and unemployment in rural and urban areas. The forum expressed disappointment at the lack of efforts at integration of rural and urban economy of Sindh and disinterest of the provincial government towards projects that promoted the common man's interests.
These views were expressed by the SEF members in the Declaration presented at an interactive dialogue on the 'Sindh Budget and Development Issues' which was held here at a local hotel the other day.
Members of the SEF expressed deep concern over the wasteful 'constituency model of development' which left public funds worth billions of rupees at the discretion of MPAs which had "no multiplier effect on the economy".
This was the result of "such a narrow, inward-looking and wasteful constituency model (that is) being pursued in the province that major development projects such as Thar coal power generation, Keti Bandar deep sea port and Karachi Mass Transit projects remained neglected for years".
Members of the SEF said that the Sindh government hardly made an effort to compile reports on the state of socio-economic development in the province, which could allow researchers, civil society and media to analyse its performance and initiate debates.
They said that it was very unfortunate that despite demands from various quarters the Sindh government was not willing to publish a 'Sindh Economic Review or Survey' before presentation of the province's annual budget.
"We call upon the Sindh government, its affiliated departments, in particular the Planning and Development, to publish a yearly Sindh Economic Review/Survey before the budget."
SEF also urged the Planning and Development Department to publish district-by-district development profiles, enabling all districts to evaluate their development needs.
"Villages of rural Sindh are among the most backward and neglected parts of the country. Government-run schools are decrepit and non-functional, even the best of health units are not stocked with medications, there are no sanitation systems to speak of and the people are living the way they did centuries ago without access to the most basic human rights. Families below the poverty line live in open compounds without shelter, children have not seen the inside of a classroom and there are no income-generating opportunities for people to make a healthy living. In desperation, scores of men in villages turn to gambling and substance addiction further compounding the state of poverty."
"Community level initiatives at the village level are one way forward for the people of rural Sindh. If communities can be galvanised to step out of their heritage of oppression and take an active and compelling role in their own planning and development, this can change their lives.
Initially, mapping and documentation of the village and its residents would need to be done through the involvement of the youth of the community. Then, based on that and the needs identified by the communities themselves, local level planning for village can be prepared. Next, at costs far lower than the billions allocated but not utilized by the government for local development, villages can be turned around. Sanitation system can be re-built in partnership with the people, government schools can be run with community intervention, low-cost community clinics can be established and effective housing and micro-loan schemes can be put in action.
Expressing concern over insufficient data in official publications (whether they be published by the federal government, State Bank of Pakistan, budget documents of provincial government or reports compiled by the provincial Bureau of Statistics), members of the SEF said that the Sindh government had not shared any short- or medium-term development framework.
The PPP-MQM coalition, which had been in power over the past five years and likely to rule the province for the next five years too, also appeared to be devoid of any development framework.
"We expect that before announcing the new budget, the provincial government would share their development agenda, allow a civil society debate and analyse their approach towards development."
Pointing out that huge resources were diverted to provinces under the 18th Amendment, but "we are yet to see the difference these inflated resources making on the people's lives".
"We must remember that with the influx of population from northern parts of the country, Sindh is now home to over 60 million people, if the government (made no) serious (efforts for) addressing the basic needs of the people, in particular quality education, clean drinking water, health and infrastructure, this province is already headed towards disaster, uneducated people, young people without jobs and absence of law and order will destroy the remaining fabric of Sindh's society."
"We would also like to remind the government of Sindh that its policy of giving more jobs to people is a highly-flawed and bad economics, government should not give jobs to people, it should help create business that would generate jobs and give impetus to economy. By giving jobs for political reasons in the local government municipal committees, these government offices are flooded with employees without work...we demand an investigation into this so that local government can be effectively functional."
"Sindh's civil society is shocked to notice that upper Sindh, home to 30 million people, continues to be victim of government neglect, rural economy is not growing in this part of the province, one does not see any noticeable change in terms of investment in industries and small business coming up over there, this is causing economic stagnation, resulting in lack of jobs, crime, violence, in particular against women. This is indeed very sad that despite spending Rs 40 billion on home department, a handful of (bandits) continue to wreck people's lives.
"The conduct and manner in which budget planning and development work is being carried out since 1985, one does not see any hope for Sindh's rural mass being transformed in modern society, influencing change in socio-cultural and economic life of people. It is the responsibility of the provincial government...to help create an environment of change and modernisation.
"We urge the government of Sindh to end the unjustified so-called MPA Priority Programme which was increased last year to Rs 60 million. We are of the view that it is not the job of MPAs to initiate and determine development schemes; this approach undermines the institutional structure that is supposed to carry out development in the province and at the district level."
The event was addressed, among others, by former federal Secretary Syed Muhibullah Shah, former President KCCI Majid Aziz, representative of Sindh Abadgar Board Mehmood Nawaz Shah, analyst Mohasn Babbar, an analyst, and Fayyaz Naich, an expert on development issues.
The function was attended among others by former secretary Sindh government Mehtab Akbar Rashdi, Professor Dr Rafiq Chandio, Mushtaq Rajpar, Professor Azadi Fateh, Nazir Qureshi and Hamsafar Gadehi.