Behind the Chairman’s Door

Looking at the global economic collapse and the state of Pakistan’s economy, our government and citizens need to take some prudent steps to keep Pakistan from slipping into “failed state.” I would like to suggest some possible remedies. I preface by saying that certain things were promised when individuals took office and made promises from the floor of the Parliament, which have not been followed, so let’s start with those.

I started this list in anger over the continuous price hikes passed to the citizens, while the government celebrates, and would like anyone and everyone to add on to it.

1. When Prime Minister Gilani took office as Prime Minister, he promised to lower the budget of PM House and his office by 40%.

We know that this hasn’t happened and probably has increased by the same percentage. Mr. Prime Minister, you have no reason to travel around Pakistan giving speeches or attending lunches/dinners, as you have yet to deliver on any of the promises that your government made since taking office.

Also, since the elected government and the political party leadership are targets of suicide bombers, it would be best if you kept yourself contained at PM House, where you can best serve the nation.

2. Reduce the budgets of ALL government offices to bare minimum.

It is pretty clear to all of the citizens of Pakistan that the elected/appointed leadership of Pakistan is enjoying the spoils of government, while watching the country disintegrate. While we enjoy the promises and statements that come out of the government in regards to reducing loadsheding and atta prices, since there has been no work done there, someone must sacrifice. The people have sacrificed enough, now it’s your turn.

3. Reduce the budget of the President’s office

Since the “Parliament is supreme” and in a parliamentary system, the President is just a figurehead to unify the country, the President’s office budget should be slashed to what the constitutional responsibility is, a figurehead.

President Zardari even promised in his inauguration that he would personally reduce the spending of the President’s office, including Awan-e-Sadr.

4. To inspire investor confidence, please move your offshore foreign accounts back to Pakistan.

When you ask someone for money to help your country, the first question they will ask you is what have you done? If you are not able to show loyalty and sincerity to the country that you are hoping to “save,” it makes it difficult for any foreign country or investor to be willing to put money into Pakistan for development or investment.

To that effect, any member of the Provinicial or National Assembly, Senators, Ministers, Advisors, Chief Ministers, Governors, Prime Minister and President, along with the leadership of each of the “national” political parties should transfer all their forex balances back to bank accounts in Pakistan.

Be clear, I am not asking you to return your money to the national exchequer because that would be impossible, but if you move your money back to Pakistan’s banks, it would stabilize the banks and show confidence to potential investors and donors that the elected government BELIEVES that they can “save Pakistan.”

5. No more unneeded foreign visits or tours

Pakistan is a poor country. Our elected leaders keep telling us, and showing us with their policy decisions that we are running out of money and fast. Therefore, Pakistan can no longer afford to pay for trips to Dubai, London or any other country for the different elected offices. Since the global giants that have financed Pakistan in the past are going through their own economic collapses, there is really no reason to go and beg them for money in return for favors.

Airplane fuel is extremely expensive. What is spent on a flight to Dubai and back for President Zardari to visit family members could feed a village for a month.

And please don’t say that he is paying the airfare from his own pocket.

6. No more stupid domestic visits

In all actuality, no one wants to meet the elected leadership of Pakistan. Partly because of the security risk that they are, being targets of suicide bombers, and partly that there is really no point in talking to an MPA, MNA, Senator, Minister or anyone else. There is no money to be passed around in grafts and gifts, so there is no reason to travel around promising money to different people and organizations.

Nor does the nation have money to pay for big meals and fanfare when someone from the government decides to grace their village, town or city.

You are punishing us for electing you to power and it is unforgivable, but nothing new to the body Pakistani.

7. No more grants to associations and groups that helped get your government elected.

Since the PPP government has come into power, it has been open season on rewarding their own supporters for getting them elected. This must stop. Pakistan is in the middle of a major financial crisis and your government is just creating more debt.

Instead of rewarding the different groups for getting you elected, please spend that money on improving education or health care.

Professional organizations can generate their own money, how does a government school get the money for books, teachers and utilities if the government doesn’t provide it?

8. End the VIP culture

Since this was again promised from the Parliament floor by the newly elected Prime Minister, we expect this to happen immediately. There is no reason that a poor country like Pakistan should have it’s elected leaders travelling around in 20 car caravans to enlarge their egos. It is both a security risk and a waste of money for the government and the poor citizens that have to sit in their vehicles waiting for your ego to pass by.

Take a hint from Iran and President Ahmedinejad. They have petro-dollars and the President lives in the same flat as before he was elected and rides a bicycle to work.

Sad our political egos are so big that we would rather starve our population than sacrifice a perk.

9. Pay your taxes

It is a resounding embarassment for Pakistanis that work day-in and day out to earn money while the elected leadership of Pakistan has never paid its fair share in taxes. Never. If you would like to refute this, please publish your comprehensive wealth/income statements and allow the media to investigate how much taxes have been paid. This applies to all members of government, not just the elected ones.

The true question here is: Do you feel the Constitution of Pakistan is a legal document that should be honored? If so, then you should realize that it is your constitutional responsibility to follow the laws that are created by the Parliament and the government, under the authority that same Constitution provides you, then the responsibility to pay your taxes is non-negotiable.

10. Be Pakistani

After all of these things, I come to the most important point. Be Pakistani.

While many of our elected/appointed officials enjoy all the spoils of the government, they also enjoy the ability to make a run for it whenever they see things getting bad. As a matter of respect to the nation, renounce your citizenship in any country other than Pakistan. When you show us that you are here no matter what, we might believe more that you are sincere in fixing the problems this nation suffers from.

This includes bringing any children who are not of University age back to Pakistan and enrolling them in schools here. When you trust our education system with your children, we might entrust our country to your government.

And by being Pakistani, you take ownership to evolve Pakistan into a true democratic state.

11. A Real Truth and Reconciliation

I still, along with many other Pakistanis, don’t understand your view of Truth and Reconciliation. In the South African model, a commission was formed where each person who had been charged, fairly or unfairly, comes before the commission and ADMITS to what they have done. The Commission then determines what the reconciliation process is. You don’t just get to say “we have reconciled the nation,” uphold an NRO and say it’s done. The people demand answers to the numerous accusations and arrests that have been made since the first political government.

If you can’t do this, then please stop saying that you have are following anyone’s reconciliation process. Personally, I know of no one who accepts an apology and forgives someone without knowing what they are forgiving. That is asking a lot of a nation and its people.

Have we not suffered enough for the past 61 years that this farce should be passed over on the people of this great nation?

As a nation, we all cringe when we hear “Parliament is supreme” and that you “have Pakistan and Pakistanis best interests at heart.” We know that it is rhetoric and not a Quranic ayat or Hadiths, so please actions instead of words.

We saw yesterday that the promised delayed payment deference from Saudi Arabia was refused, and I can assure that with the American economic crisis, they won’t have as much money to Pakistan in aid or grants. We need to tighten our own belts before we ask for USD 100 billion to stabilize our country.

In short, please be the example for the nation, not the excuse for continued failure.