THE Punjab government, which is an ally of the main opposition party, is considering purchase of 40 luxury vehicles at a cost of hundreds of millions for its cabinet members and officials. This is criminal at a time when we already have an economic crisis to deal with.

On the other hand, at the federal tier, special assistants to the prime minister (SAPMs) have been inducted into the federal cabinet, raising its strength all the time and taking it to what might be a record in the country’s history.

All this is happening while the state is nearly insolvent, the coffers are empty and the government is beseeching friendly countries as well as others through the good offices of the United Nations (UN) secretary-general for financial support.

The economic crisis stands compounded with the floods having devastated the country and millions being in misery without food, shelter and medicines. The politicians, however, seem to be living on a different planet altogether where life is all about merry-making and joyrides. Can they be so insensitive?

One is aghast at the behaviour of the leadership across the political divide, and there is a reason — a big reason, indeed —why so many people today stand seriously disillusioned by the sham political system the country has in the name of democracy.

Erum A Baig
Karachi

Published in Dawn, September 26th, 2022