A POLITICAL leader recently threa-tened to quit the ruling coalition if promises to support the flood affected people in Sindh were not fulfilled by the federal government. Not much later, he expressed his reservations on the digital census that is being carried out in the country. One wondered what might have prompted politicians to be all of a sudden angry with their own coalition government. The only reason that comes to mind is that with elections in the air, politicians want to come across as pro-people after having enjoyed power as being part of the ruling coalition.

It is possible that the coalition might even break up before the elections. This is an old tactic of coalition partners in Pakistan. They enjoy all benefits being part of the government and when the elections come closer, they start disowning the failures and taking credit of the good initiatives, if any.

As far as support to the flood-affected is concerned, after the 18th amendment, the provinces get more resources than ever from the federal divisible pool, and the ruling party in Sindh could have supported the flood victims if it had the right intention.

But all we heard were reports of fund misappropriation. Mere rhetoric by this leader or that would not impress the flood victims.

As far as the reservations on digital census are concerned, it is hard to ignore that digitalisation is the need of the time, and the world is making hectic efforts and heavily investing in digitalisation across all imaginable fields of life. The digital census should be welcomed by all without any reservations.

Gulsher Panhwer
Johi

Published in Dawn, March 22nd, 2023