The ruling elite

Radical reforms needed to facilitate all citizens equally

KARACHI: The economy of Pakistan is going through tragic paths but the elite class, despite meagre in ranking, has kept governing and ruling the country. The burden on the lower segment will become more severe, a data obtained by this scribe explained.

This power elite is less than 1 per cent of the total country’s population but they are entitled to have luxurious houses, expensive vehicles along with petrol, oil and lubricant (POL), a massive crew including office and domestic staff along with heavy salary packages with considerable increments annually and allowances at the cost of Pakistan’s economy.

According to the UNDP’s report for the year 2021 the privileged class consumes $17.4 billion of Pakistan’s economy that is equal to 6 per cent of total GDP. This humongous amount is more than the total defence budget of the country. In comparison with the health, education and even defence budget this is a gargantuan amount that reveals that the elite class is not only ruling this country but also robing it.

Some new calculations showed that it is not $17.4 billion only it is costing more than $100 billion that people of Pakistan are paying to this elite class. If one wants to have a look at the perk and privileges of this class take the example of very important person (VIP) protocols. According to calculations of the last year the cost of VIP protocol for the elite class in Islamabad was more than Rs 3 billion for just a few government functionaries, if we all are included, then the amount may exceed from $100 billion (adding free/subsidized/ceiling of the houses, medical, insurance, allowances, and reliefs). If we enlist who these people are, let us start from the parliament which includes President, Prime Minister, Federal Ministers, State Ministers members of upper and lower house, parliament officials and other civil top-ranked officials prevailing in the ring of the elite class.

If we take the Islamabad Club that is the centre for recreational activities for the elite class and is situated in the heart of Islamabad. It covers an area of many hectares of the most expensive land including a huge golf club. Only in the twin cities such places are sold, the heavy debts of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) can be paid off with it very conveniently. None of the concerned authorities would dare to do it just for the respect of the said class. Unfortunately, nobody can raise a question over the injustice. Another ironic example is that of the Parliamentarian Café, where highly paid members of the parliament are provided with food at subsidised rates. They can have the meals at a cost of Rs 200 to 300. The super luxurious President House, Prime Minister House, Chief Minister Houses and other residential units maintained for them at the hill stations and recreational spots are the white elephants for the economy of this poor country.

Federal and provincial secretaries and other officers on equivalent ranks utilise unlimited fuel for personal and private usage that is paid from the taxes the common people are paying and there is no justification for this kind of luxury facility. The luxury vehicles and the squads of protocol vehicles and massive amount of fuel for them all is a colossal burden on the economy of a developing country that is at the verge of default. This is certainly not tolerable at this stage of economic disaster. If the economy of the country is capable to bear it all then it is justified but not in the prevailing situation. Everything is secondary to the national economy and stability, and this is the right time to revamp the whole system and to set the rules and work on their strict implementation.

Let’s start improving

The first step should be to take over all the departmental and official vehicles from the bureaucracy and political curdle and all of them should be bound to use their personal vehicles or public transport to commute. The country cannot have an advanced and state-of-the-art public transport system until or unless its elite class is compelled to use it. When the authoritative mob will use public transport, its standard will be raised, and the quality will improve.

Secondly, there should be a complete ban on the provision of official residences for all categories of government officers; they should live like a common man so that they may know the miseries of a common man. The government can cater to them through lucrative salaries but no other facilities like housing, POL and utility bills payment and salaries for domestic helpers.

Third and the most important step is to restrict all government officials and representatives to send their children to public schools, colleges and universities to study with the children of common people. This will develop a uniform system of education throughout the country and that will bring a lot of betterment in the field.

Fourth point is that all the functionaries and other top-ranked official should be bound to go to the government hospitals for all type of treatment. There should be a strict ban on government paid treatment in private hospitals for all categories. When these policy makers will go to the government hospitals for treatment that will bring a drastic change in the system of these hospitals. They will be providing better health facilities to public as well.

Last but not least we want to ask these tycoons of governance, authority and power as to why the country is on the verge of collapse while they are having full benefits along with salaries. We the common people are paying the price of their luxurious lifestyle in the form of taxes. It is the right time to ask the ruling class what justification do they have for the present disastrous situation, in a developing country like ours where many people living in rural areas are deprived of clean drinking water.

They are having luxurious offices, fully loaded salary packages with all fringe benefits and yet their performance cannot be seen, and they ask for bribes. Who is accountable for the damaged and collapsed economy, poor infrastructure and pathetic performance in the health, education and transport sectors? We need immediate radical reforms to come out of this chaos, when the ruling and policy making class of the country will start living like a common man only then they will learn what problems a common man faces. Thus, they will improve the system.

A malignant economy of a poor developing country cannot bear it anymore. Accountability and equality in society can bring improvement otherwise things will be worsened. This is the right time to bring radical reforms.

The writer is Professor at the School of Sociology, Qauid-i-Azam University Islamabad. He can be reached at [email protected]