This is with reference to TheNation’s editorial of Feb 23 on the issue of change of name of PIMS, talks of Bhutto and Benazir as outstanding leaders and martyrs. PPP has been able to build up this larger than life image of its leaders because of the reluctance of the media and political leaders to show Bhutto and Benazir in their true colours. Only by a stretch of imagination can either of them be called martyrs. Bhutto was convicted of complicity in a murder in which FSF was involved.
At the Simla Summit he agreed to Kashmir being treated as a bilateral issue. The ill effects of his vindictive policy of nationalization are still with us, a policy which helped put brakes on further investment in the country. Even his own finance minister, Dr Mubashir Hasan, was most critical of this in his book ‘The Mirage of Power’ he says ‘Leaving the machinery of state-control in the hands of the persons whose personal interests were in conflict with the rest of the society and who were inefficient and corrupt would neither help avert a collapse nor strengthen the government. In fact, it would make the situation worse’.
The ill effects of his policy of unproductive employments, packing state enterprises and public sector organisations with cronies and jialas – are still with us. Dr Mobashir Hasan’s warning of ‘collapse’ has come true. Benazir continued with this populist policy and further damaged industry by inducting the oil guzzling IPPs without initiating any long term hydel project. Her motivated opposition to Kalabagh dam has turned the whole of Sindh and half of KPK against the dam. It is for this reason that no government has been able to build a dam since Tarbela dam was commissioned 38 years ago - there are 25,500 water reservoirs in the world and Pakistan has only two.
The resulting damage to industry and agriculture has dealt a severe blow to the economy of Pakistan. Benazir’s Machiavellian somersaults on Kalabagh dam and the nuclear tests are responsible for the tattered economy and hence the miserable condition of the common man who, in his total ignorance, keeps voting for her party.
KHURSHID ANWER,
Lahore, February 24.