The lack of economic growth in Sindh has resulted in a lack of congruence between plans and budgets, thus making it hard to realize the goals of development. Public services like education, health, water supply, sewage, and electricity have also grounded to a halt due to lack of funds, and bureaucratic impediments. Corruption by political leadership, bureaucrats and technocrats has resulted in state resources being used for personal aggrandizement or allocated inefficiently. In most cases there was duplication of purchases because of lack of co-ordination and accountability by senior government officials. Undoubtedly, corruption goes on unabated because of the government’s inability to prosecute the offending officials.
It would have been better if the government had introduced economic reforms in the start of its tenure to resuscitate the provincial economy. Unfortunately, it was not done because of lack of commitment by top political leadership and bureaucracy. Just to give one example, the government did embark on a program to increase food production but nothing was done to provide support in the form of fertilizer and seeds to peasants nor was the irrigation system improved to provide water to develop areas where there is drought.
Indeed Sindh would have witnessed a successful record of economic development if our provincial rulers had promoted accountability and responsiveness to electorates, if they had selected appropriate economic policies for efficient allocation and utilization of resources, if they had provided sufficient incentives to foreign investors to boost development. Since the provincial PPP leadership was primarily preoccupied with coalition partners and playing so-called ‘Politics of Reconciliation’, therefore, nothing has been done for the development of the province. Some development schemes and programs, policies and reforms were launched but they are in the doldrums.
HASHIM ABRO,
Islamabad, November24.