IF we Pakistanis were to count our problems, the list would be never-ending.

Maulana Roomi said, “A nation can bear the loss of the sudden death of 10,000 intellectuals, but it cannot bear the rule of a stupid ruler”.

Instead of improvising our tax system, we resort to IMF loans on their conditions. Instead of improving our traffic system, we are making motorways and replacing the existing national highways. Instead of addressing our city traffic congestion through better police management, we are making underpasses, overhead bridges and bypasses and broadening roads. Our priorities seem to be based on advertisement value. Our allocation of funds is based on making a certain mafia (read extortionist politicians) happy. Our projects are designed and implemented in areas on voters’ count.

Maternity and child health, education, proper marketing of goods, provision of basic amenities to individuals, etc., are given the lowest level of priority. If the government does not set its priorities right on an urgent basis, Pakistan is bound to face more problems and in a worse shape.

Amjad Habib Mirza

Lahore

Published in Dawn, July 28th, 2014