Does truth pay? That was the question that one faced in an introspective manner. Is it worthwhile to have trust on one's side? As I look back I find that the character that is built in the personality is not only a function of education but also a function of censorship which comes from multiple sources. However, the system that Pakistan seems to be building on is about short-term cleverness never mind what happens later. The social systems have collapsed thanks to the media exposing the doings and undoings of the powerful. The unknowns of previous times have become the knowns of the present. What does this say about the state of the economy? The finance minister would have us say that all is well and that the indicators are excellent. He is praising his own work. But that is not the whole truth for indicators are an enabling clause and only state what the blood count indicates. The physician has then to determine whether the macro indicators are what they are all about. The state of the economy is then determined on whether there has been inclusive development or otherwise. The present is very much dependent on what the past has been like. The past of Pakistan's economy has been pretty murky and full of terrible policy issues. The goonda element in the economy gained such powerful positions that in later times they became mafia functionaries. Competitiveness is good for others but not for me, gains in the political system can only be maintained if the licence raj was in action. The newly powerful politician in authority has used economic bribery to muster strength. That is why every once in a while the political system collapses. To verify hear the comments of the man in the street.
There are virtually no state institutions as these are now manned by cronies or any one that pledges to the work for the politician[s]. Consider this irony. The judge is supposed to retire at the age of 65 but the bureaucrats of their liking have been given the right to live in service as long as they deliver. Some of them are in their seventies? This has been brought about by a circular of the present government. The intangibles - truth, honesty and trust - have no place in our society. Murderers are being hanged but what about those that have slaughtered the economy. I can give myriads of examples.
Let me turn to agriculture economy. Here we are told that the government has done many things for the farmers. But go back to the track record and you will find that the rice farmers have been let down. Sugarcane farmers are infidels as the mills belong to the powerful politicians and the price that the farmer is getting or not getting is dependent on the government and the mill owners. The receivable that the farmer gets is not dependent on the mill owner and sometimes this can be for a lapse of two or three years. How can the maize farmer prosper? The ministry and the minister are unconcerned for they have brought in or rather restated idiotic statements pertaining to looking after the poor and small farmers. Their logic is based on ECC decision that loans will be made available to small farmers. But for Justice Chotto Ram who saved the Muslim farmers from the Hindu banyas we may well have been peons, patwaris and what have you. Menials if the system before partition had stood the time. The wheat crop is going to have the same kind of hell so far as the markets for commodities are concerned. Is the government unable to or incapable to do the necessary bit? When oxy-morons rule the waves that is what happens.
The rural areas are in stress and there are a number of policies that are required to change the equation. That change of equation, however, will never emerge as the entire country has been organized along the power structure of the urban areas. Is the market then a better proposition than the government if fairness has to be ensured? But before we go in for changes in the agriculture sector the financial aspects have to be changed. The country can no longer go by subventions from the federal budget to the financial awards. We know that these financial awards are never provided to those provinces that are not in unison with the federal government. Every time the federal government feels that a province is not in line it dithers and makes a wrong u-turn. We would prefer gas from Qatar and not exploit our own because these reserves are in Dera Bugti. What nonsense is this. Why should we be subjected to the free trade with India and make short change of our own farmers. Give these farmers the same playing field and see what happens then. Our exports of commodities to India are held up by their custom authorities while they are allowed without let or hindrance by our authorities.
All these factors add up to denigration of humans and if one sees Pakistan's record on belittling its citizens we are second to none. Beating and jailing political opponents, shutting down their assets is not the way of civilised societies. But then are we a civilised society? Do we ferret and punish private disloyal thoughts and is this the way of decency and fair play. These impositions violate the very essence of democracy, of self rule, the liberty of the ancients. Our ancients despite being monarchs had more tolerance than what we see today in Pakistan. The condemnation of the guilty is over determined. So we go into mass hanging we miss out on the principles or lack thereof of the hedonistic issues. The west has made passing remarks about these hangings. How many more families will be under stress from the judicial killings that are taking place and that started with the death of one of our best prime ministers?
So what of the economies of this country? It is not a straightforward simpleton economy. There are many twists and turns to this economy. The policymaker is at a loss to understand a simple production function what to speak of complicated issues and requirements. Do the honest have the right to live and if so how? Do the dishonest have the right to be tried for what they have done to this country? Is the crime of commission more important or the crime of omission? Is the crime of monetary corruption more important than the crime of mental corruption? Is this police force capable of correcting the social systems? Is the revenue patwari capable of correcting the land mafia? Is the political system not riddled with land acquisition corruption? Is the farmer not being steam rolled by the urban elites? Who will worry about what is happening to the farmers. Let the CMs provide information through the press as to how they spend their day and or nights.
Think awhile and see where the solution lies for those in power today will one day find themselves in the spot where they sent others to the depths of the world. Lessons of history are never learnt by supercilious idiots. They only abuse these lessons. Who cares what currency has been taken away by the model that is the talk of the town. Who and which power crazy person has not done this. Let them stand up and be counted. I tell you that the state of the country is such that all of them will raise not one hand but two proving thereby that they are twice as dirty as they call others.
Are we in the service of this country or are we in our own service? There lies the crunch for I can rationalise anything and everything. The solution is costless for the economy but carries a death knell for those who are in power. The abuse that is hurled by anchors means that this country can never have any leaders. They are the new above the law. How about trying and setting up a law of torts to correct an imbalance in this society? Take care for you have to handle the distortion of the power hungry. But the indicators show a resilient and powerful economy!!! Or do they!!
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