Nowadays, the constant topic of discussion is the reason behind the series of crises in Pakistan and the possible solution. People are fed up to see the incompetence of leadership on the one hand and the failure of institutions on the other. Although political leadership civil and military bureaucracy and judiciary have brought the country to this point of despondency, we all, as a nation, are responsible to some extent for this current state of affairs.
The result of the election and subsequent departure of Pervez Musharraf had given hope that Pakistan will embark on a new era. But after one and a half year, the situation has gone from bad to worse. Our foreign reserves have depleted, law and order situation has gone bad, trade deficit has increased, foreign debts has gone higher and the country is again at the mercy of World Bank and IMF.
Industrial production, with constant interruption of power supply, is down, which, in turn will affect export and further increase the trade deficit. The unrealistic increase in oil prices and its affect on the price of other commodities has created more unrest in the country.
Why is this all happening? The answer is very clear. Either the leadership is incapable or does not have the will to solve these problems. No doubt, the issue of PCO judges, trial of Musharraf and his associates and the NRO are the major issues to be taken up, but in my opinion, the more important issues which matter for the common man and majority of the people are, law and order situation in all provinces, corruption in our institutions (judiciary , police, WAPDA etc), price increase and continuous power supply. Also the kidnapping for ransom is also on increase.
The terrorist attacks on the Marriott Hotel, Sri Lankan cricket team and Manawala police training center have tarnished the national image internationally. Under these circumstances no foreign and even local investor will be ready to invest in any field.
The result is, shutting down of industries, rise in unemployment, decrease in export, increase in trade deficit and further deterioration of economic conditions of Pakistan.
The problems are very much clear and their solutions need strong and revolutionary actions. It needs commitment and dedication of the leadership. The following measures need to be taken if the country is to come out of these crises.
1. The National Assembly should amend laws for the punishment of terrorist, those who kidnap children and other citizens for ransom. The terrorists and criminals should be tried in fast-track courts. The punishment for these criminals, who kill innocent people and kidnap children, be changed from number of years to death.
2. To get rid of corruption and patwari system, the revenue department needs to be modified. The National Assembly should amend the laws on corruption to prevent corrupt officials from escaping punishment.
3. The chief justice, the PM and all chief ministers should open complaint cells in their offices to receive complaints against corrupt officials in judiciary, police, revenue dept WAPDA, and other such public departments.
4.The PM and CMs of all provinces should set up think tanks for different fields. These think tanks should comprise experts of proven track record from their respective fields and be honest and have integrity and patriotism. The fields are education, industrial development, agriculture development, law and order and eradication of extremism and terrorism and corruption from the society.
5. A follow up center must be set up in PM and CM offices to monitor and ensure the execution of recommendation given by these think tanks, once these are approved by PM and CMs of respective provinces.
6. There is a need to make a national advisory board for mosques (similar to the one in UK, called MINAB, mosques imam national advisory board) to integrate the mosques and madrasas with national system of education and gradually improve the system of madrasas by inducting science subjects, computer science and English in their syllabus.
7. All provinces and federal government should cut their nondevelopment expenditures, and pay to power producing companies in order for them to generate electricity.
8. Last but not the least, all those who got their loans waived off during the last 30 years and still have property worth billions (in the form of land, houses, factories, bank accounts) should be asked to return their loans in installments voluntarily within one year and if they don't they should be prosecuted through independent credible judicial commission.
Let us learn from our past mistakes, and promise not to repeat those to give a better Pakistan to our future generations.
