Every nation at one time or another goes through rough times, which it endures, gets over and survives, and if it is lucky, continues on and prospers. Pakistan, born on August 14, 1947, lost its maker little over a year later, on September 11, 1948, and since then has had more of its share of bad patches.
It has suffered incompetent and corrupt rulers - incompetent and corrupt to the extent that half the country was thrown away. For over two decades, it has been bereft of law and order, thanks to the inadequacy of the system and form of government imposed upon it, and to the lamentable quality of its leadership.
The mess that has been made is so complete that it seems beyond the best intentioned to unravel it. To take our present unruly and sorry situation : President General Pervez Musharraf is well aware of the fact that many, who should rightly be behind bars, for reasons of expediency and preservation, have been exonerated and rewarded for their sins, and now sit in his cabinet and in his assemblies.
The general has never been shy of admitting this, but shrugs his shoulders and says there is little he can do about it under the existing system as it is the people who have, freely and fairly, voted in the baddies. But, then, how can he or we expect such men, transgressors that they are, to have any respect for law and order? How can they possibly make any positive contribution towards the well-being of a grossly overpopulated country, of some 160 millions, largely illiterate, unemployed, and poverty-stricken?
Be that as it may, we will move on to specifics. An age-old adage has it that the mistakes of doctors are buried, those of lawyers are hanged, but those of architects, planners and builders stand to haunt and hinder. Take the great scam perpetrated earlier this year, the Sindh Industrial Trading Estates (Site) scam. This took place in the presence of Governor of Sindh Ishrat ul Ibad, federal minister of communications Babar Ghauri, Sindh minister of industries Adil Siddiqui, Site managing director Gul Mohammad Rind, and Site secretary Saquib Soomro. However, luckily for the people, and unluckily for the scammers, it was exposed in due time. An investigating committee was formed, it investigated and it recommended :
"The Committee saw the video of the balloting function and album of its photographs. There is a bearded young man who fed the secret code and operated the computer. Neither Mr Farrukh Saeed admits that he is an NBP employee nor Site official admits that he is a Site employee. However, it is mainly for the Site officials who allowed him at the balloting in the presence of the governor to ascertain his identity. But Site officials simply observe that he had come with the team of the NBP and therefore they allowed him to operate the computer. On the other hand, Mr Farrukh Saeed says that he does not know him and he had not come with them."
"Site officials are unable to give the names and designation of the officials of the NBP except Mr Farrukh Saeed who had briefed them and conducted the balloting on 11.5.2004. Further, at the time of balloting Mr Farrukh Saeed, VP NBP, who was the main figure for preparation of software should have been at the place of balloting with other dignitaries. Absence of the VP NBP from the place of balloting weakens the efficacy of the statement of Site officials that the NBP conducted the balloting."
"Conclusion : The above evidence and analysis leads to the conclusion the that officials of NBP as well as Site have dealt with the issue of balloting non-seriously and in a very unscrupulous manner which resulted in a serious lapse and the result of the balloting do not conform to the criteria of rational and transparent working. They did not play their role prudently, diligently and cautiously which triggers a feeling of a deliberate mishandling resulting in highly objectionable results. As such, the officials of the NBP as well as the Site Limited are responsible for the mishap. The role of Mr Farrukh Saeed, VP NBP, as well as Mr Saqib Soomro, Secretary Site, is more conspicuous.
"Recommendation : Keeping in view the terms of reference of the enquiry the committee is of the firm opinion that the procedure adopted for balloting lacked transparency and genuineness. This finding is substantiated by the corrupted results. The committee therefore contends that the result of the ballot should be scrapped and fresh balloting must be carried out."
The committee of bureaucrats, knowing that it was dealing with fire, was of necessity circumspect in its findings. The government of Sindh has since been reshuffled, but the heads remain attached to the one and same body. Minister Siddiqui has promoted the Site MD, retaining him in the position of commissioner of Sessi, the Site Secretary survives as an OSD, and Minister Siddiqui has retained his 'camp office' at the Site head office.
However, some good has come of it all. Orders have come down from the president's secretariat that the 140 plots be properly demarcated and sold through a 'kosher' public auction. That should settle that.
But what about the 140 citizens of Pakistan who paid to get themselves on the balloting list? There would have been a large void in my life were I to have been bereft of the fellowship of my practical Memon and Chinioty friends, pious men who pray five times a day, have performed Haj and proceed on Umra with laudable regularity. One Al Haj, an expert in the art of enrichment, bemoaned the fact that I had caused him a loss of Rs.1.5 million - the price he and each of the other 139 had 'unofficially' paid.
Who had he paid, I asked? A 'broker' I was told. I suggested he retrieve the money from the man. That would not be at all wise, said the Al-Haj, adding that the 'broker' had no desire to be chopped up and stuffed into a gunny bag. So he was writing the amount off as a speculative loss. Rs.1.5 million multiplied by 140 amounts to Rs.210 million, or Rs.21 crores. Who are the 'crorepatis'?
Federal Minister for Communications Babar Ghauri has now arranged to carve out 405 'industrial' plots admeasuring 1000 square yards each (not yet demarcated) at Port Qasim. They are to be allotted - sight unseen - by computer ballot, and only those who can claim to be 'overseas Pakistanis' have been allowed to apply on a down payment of a mere 750 dollars per plot. (so far some 620 have applied).
The question arises : how much will be charged 'unofficially' and by whom? If the government wishes to collect dollars, then anyone who can purchase and pay in dollars should be able to apply. As is the custom all over the world, government land must be properly demarcated and sold by public auction. Such is the practice in the case of 'commercial' plots at Port Qasim.
Who is reading this? Who is interested?