It seems Mian Nawaz Sharif has submitted to pressures of powerful civil bureaucracy, by failing to slash size of government. The fact remains that while this government has reduced number of cabinet ministries from 43 to 28, the present count of federal secretaries leading various division remains over 38. Can I ask the PM how can the non-development administrative expenditure of top heavy bureaucracy of this country, facing an acute financial crunch, be reduced by just cutting down number of ministers, while the bureaucracy continues to maintain its size and entail almost same expenditure, drawing huge perks and privileges?
After all the rampant corruption, massive flight of capital, deterioration in law and order and economic strangulation of state owned enterprises, could have occurred only by direct involvement and patronization by civil bureaucracy of this country.
Our key financial institutions and ministries are today dominated by bureaucrats holding foreign passports. If this is the commitment of this government to its manifesto, than the surplus employees of loss making state corporations will continue to be a burden on national exchequer, while masses are deprived of basic health, education, clean drinking water, reliable rail transport and security. The PM must do the needful within first 100 days, otherwise he will never be able to curtail corruption, enforce administrative and financial discipline, and ensure tax collection and a culture of accountability within our corruption infected bureaucracy
MALIK TARIQ ALI,
Lahore, July 29.