A Rosy Vision for the Poor?
There is widespread corruption. Government revenues and loan amounts are squandered and embezzled. Most of the development funds go into wrong pockets.
The total public debt increased by Rs1.465 trillion to Rs4.411 trillion over the last seven years, showing a rise of almost 50 per cent from Rs2.946 trillion in 1999 (Dawn, March 5). Outstanding foreign debts on June 30 last was $37.26 billion and further new foreign loan contracted during 2006 is over $3 billion (Editorial, March 7).
By the way where have the billions of rupees (loan amounts) gone? Had these sums were sincerely invested/utilised, the ground realities would have been quite different. There would have been no poverty.
The army-feudal (rural + urban) nexus is ruling the country. The people assembled around the general-president to provide a democratic facade to an autocratic rule are mostly opportunists. They are exploiting the poor masses. Cartels and mafias have emerged and have consolidated their power during these seven years of dispensation. They would remain in power for another five years through election–2007.
The poor masses are not in a position to revolt against the system, as did the Nepalese poor who have done away with the monarchy. Pakistan’s poor are mostly illiterate and ignorant Muslims. They know Islam as given them to understand by an equally ignorant maulvi, and other vested interests, who impel them to believe that they are poor because it is God’s will and to question God’s will is a sin. They should always remain thankful to God in all circumstances.
Therefore, the first thing to be done is to destroy all the fortresses of exploitation to achieve the Planning Commission’s vision to make Pakistan an economic power by 2030. This can only be done by a truly democratic government.
http://www.dawn.com/2007/04/16/letted.htm