For the record, no political party has contacted us with regard to our last week's column outlining a manifesto that offered clear choices. Clearly, they believe in the caption! But then there are the contrarians (presuming to be representatives of civil society?) who looked upon our manifesto as a reform agenda, even where they strongly disagreed with certain parts.
Feedback from them encourages us to pick it up from where we had left last Thursday. Water policy: We will immediately proceed to build all feasible storage dams. We consider this a matter of national security. Simultaneously, we will take all measures, spare no resources, and structure the right policies to mitigate adverse impact on affected provinces.
Over a period of five years, we will ensure full cost recovery of water supplied from the canal system. All tube-well subsidies will be withdrawn; however, installation of high efficiency irrigation systems (drip etc.) will be subsidized on a diminishing scale over a ten-year period. In our view, these measures are critical to achieve much higher 'crop per drop' ratios and ensure 'water savings' to check the threat of Pakistan becoming a water scarce country.
Alongside, we will apply all available technology to improve the quality of sub-soil water. Education and health: We commit ourselves to achieving at least 80% literacy rate within two years. State of the art technology, deployment of the Armed Forces at the adult literacy centres, incentivisation of civil society to run the mohalla and union council literacy centres will be some of the enablers.
Any child below the age of 12 found on the streets during school hours will be taken to his home and the parents questioned for the child's truancy. Every attempt will be made to address the parents' concerns but not sending the child to school will not be an option. Also, no child below the age of 12 will be allowed to work, in any establishment or home. In tertiary and professional education, our focus will be on vastly improved quality, rather than further proliferation. There will be a temporary freeze on setting up of new colleges. However, we will ensure each province has at least three centres of excellence, one each in Science-Technology-Engineering-Mathematics (STEM), Medicine, and Business Management.
Preventive health and affordability will be the centre-piece of our health policy. Extended programme of Immunization will be strengthened, safe drinking water ensured, and sewerage and sanitation facilities upgraded under a time-bound action plan.
Government-funded health insurance will be provided where monthly household income is less than a hundred thousand. All government health facilities will provide only generic medicines. Institution building: We view institutions as delivery vehicles. We will not allow them to become a part of the spoil system. We will give institutions operational autonomy and hold them to account. All critical appointments (particularly heads of regulatory bodies) will require confirmation of a special Parliamentary Committee.
The civil service will be given an effective role in running its affairs (as does the Judiciary and the Military). Cabinet Secretary will be the head of the Civil Service (as in India and the UK), and chair the committee for postings and transfers of officers up to the level of Joint Secretary. Postings and transfers beyond this level will be made by a Committee headed by the Prime Minister and that includes Cabinet and Establishment Secretaries. In case of any Pre-mature transfers reasons will have to be recorded. A robust Performance Management System will be introduced and officers held accountable where agreed goals are not met.
Cultural shift: We will adopt the 'fixing broken windows' philosophy - correct the small things first - to have a more disciplined, more law abiding and more caring Pakistan. Perhaps city traffic best reflects a society's respect for law and common courtesy. Besides fast tracking decent mass transit systems in major cities, we will have a two-pronged strategy to improve traffic management: improved traffic engineering and rigorous enforcement. Fines for violation of traffic rules will be substantially enhanced and disciplinary action taken against officials who fail to enforce the rules. All vehicles more than seven years old will be required to obtain Motor Fitness Certificates from licensed examiners. Driving licenses will not be issued unless the applicant first takes driving lessons from licensed driving schools. All pavements will be cleared of any encroachments, including vehicles. There will be designated (metered) parking spaces for cars and motorcycles.
Littering and spitting will attract heavy on-the-spot fines. We will heavily tax plastic 'shoppers' to oblige people to carry their own shopping bags. Social contract: We will always champion truth. We will be transparent and share with you everything except matters of national security. If there are promises we have not kept we will tell you why and submit ourselves to a fresh mandate. In return we will demand of you to own rule of law and respect for the rights of others, regardless of caste or creed. Together, we will carve out a value system centred on tolerance, concern for the less-advantaged, and standing up for what is right and just and fighting what is not.
Between last week and this we have provided a skeleton framework of what we think should be. Will it be? Of course, to many this will read more like a wish list than something that can actually happen. We can already hear echoes of cuckoo land. 'Does he seriously think we can put an end to dynastic politics, or make cantonment lands non-transferrable to civilians, or have everyone file a tax return?'
But what is 'doable' is not the point; nor is it 'just because it will be opposed by powerful vested interests it should not deter us from trying?' Nor is having a vision the point! The idea, quite simply, is to make the political parties understand the virtues of having a proper manifesto, not just a slogan here and a jingle there. By offering a clear programme that people vote upon the party would be much better positioned to bring about the badly needed reforms, notwithstanding the resistance of entrenched interests. It will lend force of legitimacy to their policies.
There are no claims to either the soundness of our thoughts or their comprehensiveness. The only claim is 'status quo is not working'. In the beginning there was the dream......
shabirahmed@yahoo.com