THE government’s efforts to enlist the co-operation of the opposition in its reconstruction and rehabilitation efforts following the October 8 earthquake have failed.

Neither the conditions for the co-operation as enunciated by the government or acceptable to the opposition nor the opposition’s terms for co-operation acceptable to the government.

That does not mean this is the end of the official moves in that direction. The persistent prime minister may come up with another move to bridge the gulf between them.

Meanwhile, the government’s final reply does not fail to accept the supremacy of civilians in respect of the reconstruction and rehabilitation, nor does it permit the parliamentary committee to monitor the rehabilitation and reconstruction efforts.

The military heads of the two reliefs and rehabilitation bodies will report to the army chiefs and not to civilians, protest the opposition.

As proof of the earnestness of the opposition to co-operate with the government the opposition parties had postponed the movement they had resolved to launch against the government before the October 8th Quake with its heavy toll of life and massive destruction of hart and homes.

While the future of the government-opposition moves in the area remains uncertain, the government came up with the Kalabagh Dam Issue, which pitted the opposition against the government and co-operation between them in respect of rehabilitation, and reconstruction became more difficult.

It is in the national interest that both sides co-operate with each other for the betterment of the effected people and to get the best out of the $6.2 billion eventually pledged by donors and lenders.

Involved in the costly wrangle is not only the government and the opposition but also the people as a whole and the beneficiaries of the assistance go directly, and also the donors who want the best use made of the very large sum committed by themselves.

The programme is to run up to five years and all the money committed will not be delivered at the initial stage but over a long period of time. Hence and whisper of a scandal or corruption can result in the curtailment of the donation or at least its delivery being slowed down until the earning parts are mended.

The Advisor to the Prime Minister on Finance Dr Salman Shah says that 60 per cent of the $4 billion loan will be converted into grants after the money has been received. That too may not happen properly or fully if there are allegations of corruption in the reconstruction and rehabilitation efforts by the opposition in parliament.

The country has much to gain through earnest co-operation in this area and much to loose in the absence of that and the resultant acrimony.

The people of Pakistan would like to see a parliamentary monitoring committee at work to prevent abuses in the area and to make the best use of the donated funds.

It is better if the opposition could work with the government to prevent any mishandling of funds instead of crying horse after the funds have been misspent.

If any part of the fund is misused that can also affect future aid deliveries to Pakistan on an annual basis. Because of the financial constraints or budgetary strains the government had put off taking delivery of up to 75 F-16 fighter jets from the US. But now foreign Minister Khurshid Kasuri says that a final decision will be taken next year. And prior to that the actual financial need for the reconstruction and rehabilitation will be determined clearly.

While the purchase of F-16’s has been delayed by a year. The long delayed Karachi Circular Railway, which will now cost $833 million has been put off by two years. That urgently needed project has been put off for two years after the larger mass transit project has been put into cold storage for very long.

If a high priority has to be given for obtaining advanced defence equipment, what is the great hurry to build a new GHQ in Islamabad at a cost of $2.5 billion. It has been explained on behalf of the government that no money will be spent on erecting the new GHQ from the public exchequer but the sale proceeds of the military lands will be used to finance the project. The question many are asking is why did the military in the first place acquire so much land for sale from the government and push up land prices.

If so much money can be raised through the sale of land why not use a part of the money to reduce the foreign debt incurred for acquiring advanced defence equipment.

The people ask whether a new GHQ is being built in Islamabad in place of the old GHQ in Pindi because one person is both head of the army and head of state.

Now, the Senate standing committee on defence has approved the purchase of an aerial radar system-SAAB-from Scandinavia at a cost of a $1billiono as India has acquired the radar system from Israel and Russia. Can’t a part of the $2.5 billion earmarked for building the new GHQ be used for the procurement of the SAAB.

If the Pentagon in America is not in the heart of Washington, the GHQ in Pakistan can be in Pindi as it is instead of having to shift that to Islamabad.

The president now talks of a three-tier system of reconstruction and rehabilitation-federal, provincial and district. Evidently, the government is going ahead regardless of whether the opposition works with it or not. A way has to be found to break the gulf between the two but the Kalabagh Dam issue seems to widen the rift between the government and the opposition.

P.S: Do we need a new GHQ costing $2.5 billion while our defence expenditure is Rs223.5 billion. The establishment cost and the reoccurring expenditure are too disproportionate and need to be re-adjusted.