When Imran Khan was rallying for general elections 2018, he promised he has a dream team of 200 people who can fix Pakistan through their magical wand. The question everyone is asking nowadays ‘where is that dream team’.
No reasonable person was expecting the PTI to reform the economy in a matter of one or even two years, let alone 100 days. Reasonable people understand the difference between exaggerated expressions of ‘doubling FBR revenues in one year’ as what they really are: political sloganeering. But as reason stands, they did (still do) expect the party to at least put up a team together that in turn can get the ball rolling towards reforms which understandably as ‘re-form’ ought to be a long-haul painful affair.
For instance, if there is any person who arguably knew what’s going to be his or her portfolio, if and when the PTI came to power, it was Asad Umar. Yet some of the top positions have been so far devoid of top talent that may be construed as a part of ‘dream team’. Think FBR chairman, DG debt, for example.
The so many Pakistani expatriates – those professionals living abroad - that were touted to be flocking back to Pakistan to ‘serve the country under Khan’ are also conspicuous by their absence. Meanwhile, the bureaucracy that was supposed to have attracted top talent after the rolling of civil service reforms is also quite far from achieving any of those hopes and dreams. Civil service reforms remain at bay, as a result of which so are professionals from making a lateral entry into civil service; albeit the fear of being ‘Nabbed’ is another reason behind that.
Some may point at the appointment of top private sector people for Sarmaya-e-Pakistan. But think again! The directors at Sarmaya may have indeed proved their business acumen in the private sector. But without meaning at disrespect or question their honesty and professionalism, one ought to take a closer look in terms of whether or not they have proven their mettle in reforming ailing, corrupt, inefficient organisations often existing in sectors that are bereft of the idea of a market. One will find little examples, if any. Besides, it is one thing to direct a private sector company; and entirely another to reform a public sector one – the two is not two different breeds but entirely two different animals.
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