A dictatorial regime often leaves a legacy of, more often than not, incurable social ills, economic evils and political failures. It abrogates the constitution; manipulates the institutions and corrupts the state functionaries. Following in the footprints of General Zia, General Musharrafs regime also used all the devilish ways and means to criminalize and corrupt the Pakistani bureaucracy. One of the most condemnable practices was the frequent all-expenses-paid visits of old white hats to foreign countries. Those who have had an opportunity to work in bureaucratic strata of the federal government know very well how futile, irrelevant and non-productive these foreign jaunts are, especially for those on the verge of retirement, superannuation or re-assignment to another department. On completion of their foreign visits, neither they submit a report on the program attended and its utility nor share their experience with their juniors on what they learned on these trips. It is a kind of moral, intellectual and financial corruption that tantamounts to cheating the state. Since the present PPP-led coalition government has directed its ministers, MPs and party leaders to undertake austerity measures, it is imperative to direct the public sector organizations to send their officials only for appropriate training programmes abroad that can be quantifiably proven to be useful in improving administration. A Federal Vigilance Commission (FVC) may be set up comprising public-spirited parliamentarians, intellectuals and serving and retired civil servants of high repute with a mandate interalia to look into matters pertaining to foreign training, evaluate the utility of such programs and accord occurrence or disapproval. It should also ask the officials going on foreign trips to demonstrate utility of the training programs they undertake abroad and ensure they attend only the most relevant ones. -HASHIM ABRO, Islamabad, July 2.