Delivering on performance

LAHORE: Prime ministers in Pakistan usually blame the poor performance of their government on their ministers. Imran Khan did this during his tenure and Shehbaz Sharif is doing this now; neither admitted that politically appointed appointees mostly lack merit.

The rulers must realise that the entire system is rotten. You cannot expect anyone to deliver due to the interference in each ministry or department’s affairs. For example, power and gas rates are to be adjusted in line with the recommendation of regulators. If this is done, the issue of circular debt could be resolved.

The concerned power minister must be given full power to revamp DISCOs in line with global best practices.Moreover, the prime minister may outline the parameters within which the minister has to operate. The appointments in power distribution companies’ boards comprising private sector experts should have been done during the first three months of this government if we really wanted to move forward.

The government must honour its commitment on subsidies to any segment of consumers. The entire power sector will collapse if governance is not improved per global levels and those appointed without merit or on political grounds are not shown the door. There should be no pressure on any power company to continue supplying power to a defaulter for even a day. Power theft takes place with the connivance of the concerned staff, such staff members must be immediately removed.

If full autonomy is given to the concerned minister then s/he has no right to enjoy the post so long and must voluntarily resign. This stands true for all ministries. The misery of consumers can be reduced by applying full transparency in the power, health and education sectors.

At the moment, none of these sectors is delivering satisfactorily.The fact is that establishing a few Danish schools is not the answer. Every government school in Pakistan must impart education equivalent to Danish schools. We will remain a largely uneducated nation if the current public school system continues.

The school infrastructure in the public sector is adequate, including teachers also are adequately qualified but somehow they do not deliver because non accountability makes them irresponsible and this has not become a teaching culture in public schools.

Pseudo and selective accountability will not bring any improvement in the economy. People are facing problems with every government institution, federal or provincial. People's problems increase systematically in line with the increase in poverty.

Prime ministers and chief ministers must rise to occasion and ensure that their ministers and subordinates work dedicatedly to ease the miseries of the people of Pakistan through transparent and efficient ways. The performance of the first 100 days or first year in power is useless if it fails to bring real joy in their lives.