Enduring hope

Resilience and adaptability have been hallmarks of Pakistani society. No matter what hell befalls us, history bears witness to our unwavering hope and courage in facing new realities, whether in political, social, economic or personal spheres. But this admirable trait has always been exploited by hefty – and yet empty – promises of meaningful change.

Unfortunately, we are yet again at the same juncture: the country struggling to untangle itself from political and economic conundrums. But what’s different this time? In this digital age, we are faced with unrelenting propaganda and fake news on social media, and, unlike in the past, we are finding it harder to sweep our political and economic failings under the rug.

While addressing disinformation or perceived despair by reining in social media through blanket measures might offer some short-term relief, it won’t be a sustainable solution in the long run. Long-lasting corrective measures are needed, rather than overly relying on symptomatic treatments for this mess.

First, it must be acknowledged that the lingering effects of what critics call 'manipulative' changes of the past years won’t disappear anytime soon. These effects may persist and even rebound if the current political administration fails to meet expectations, particularly in terms of economic turnaround. The window of opportunity for the incumbent government, which claims to have staked all its political capital on economic revival – or, according to its opponents, on political self-interest – is shrinking. Externally, if tensions in the Middle East escalate into a wider regional conflict, disrupting global oil markets, it could deliver a severe blow to the government’s efforts to revive the economy.

The episode involving javelin star Arshad Nadeem is a case in point. Our rulers, acting like a commercial enterprise eager to capitalize on opportunities to promote their products and services, inevitably faced backlash. Political opponents, who seize every chance to criticize even positive government actions, unleashed criticism, questioning the announcements of hefty cash rewards from taxpayers’ money.

This criticism is understandable. When public funds from a debt-ridden country are lavishly spent on non-essential expenditures, it rightly sparks outrage. It is infuriating to see top officials continue to receive expensive land, free fuel, and other tempting benefits, while convoys of luxury cars speed past us on city streets, and elite enclaves expose social and economic disparities. Meanwhile, the public is repeatedly asked to tighten their belts to pull the country out of recurring economic crises.

There is a widespread belief that many of our public-sector entities are overstaffed and inefficient. The salaries and benefits given to these underperforming entities are akin to capacity payments in the energy sector. However, privatization brings its own set of challenges.

The past two years have been particularly tough for both households and businesses. Although inflation has begun to cool down, many people, especially those in the salaried class, are still reeling from the economic meltdown, facing stagnant salaries and dwindling purchasing power.

However, amidst all these challenges, there are encouraging signs that the government appears somewhat serious this time around in addressing the state treasury’s shortcomings – or, more accurately, it has been forced to do so under IMF pressure. Recent media reports suggest that the government has decided to eliminate 28 departments in five ministries to cut administrative expenses, following the recommendations of a reforms committee formed by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.

The committee has also proposed abolishing around 150,000 vacant government positions and outsourcing non-core functions such as janitorial services. The white elephant Pakistan Public Works Department (PWD), which had been consuming billions of rupees, has already been put on the chopping block. Such far-reaching steps are more sustainable than restricting free access to information.

Instead of resorting to quick fixes to boost public morale and support before the benefits of planned structural reforms become evident, a crackdown on 'naked corruption' and inefficiency would be a more effective starting point. Prompt administrative measures and reforms in departments such as education, health, police, and civic agencies – those that directly interact with the public – would go a long way. Improving service delivery and ensuring the protection of citizens’ dignity can significantly change public perceptions of government performance. The provincial governments of the ruling coalition must take the lead on this front, given the devolution of powers under the 18th Amendment.

Small, initial steps such as ensuring that the public doesn’t have to resort to 'shortcuts' to get legitimate work done at government offices, preventing police harassment, ensuring buses stop at designated spots, eliminating the demand for bribes, and most importantly, treating people with respect could be game changers. Implementing a monitoring mechanism for charitable organizations, particularly hospitals, to prevent the humiliation often disguised as discipline or crowd control would also be impactful.

The enthusiasm witnessed in the streets on August 14 is a message of hope and resilience from the public; it is now up to our rulers not to disappoint us.

The writer is news editor on the London desk, The News. He can be reached at: khurram.mateen@gmail.com