STRAIGHT TALK by Hafeez Khan
Punjabi is a rich language. Its folklores have endured for generations. There is one that comes to mind on today’s topic. Many readers may already be familiar with it, yet I have to share it to depict our state of affairs. A dog, “Kuta” in Punjabi, fell and died in a village well, “khoh” in Punjabi, used by its inhabitants for drinking water. Within days the water started to taste bad and smell foul. The villagers got together to find a solution. They decided to take 200 hundred buckets to refresh the water.
The smell and taste of water remained bad. This exercise was repeated, yet the problem persisted. Running out of solutions, they decided to seek advice from an elder known for his wisdom. After pondering, the wise old man inquired, have you checked for a cause? The villagers stated that there was a dog in the well. “Remove the dog first; then take out the 200 buckets”. This solution worked. We have the same problem in Pakistan.
We have not one but multiple “kutas” in our “khoh”. Till we deal with them, we will remain stuck in a bad place, spinning our wheels in a quagmire going nowhere. These issues need to be confronted to move forward. The “dogs” in our well are prevalent corruption, failed accountability, and a dysfunctional parliamentary system. The mother of all issues is a broken system; rotten to its core.
After nearly 75 years of existence our rulers and the ruling elite have condemned our nation to a “Circle of Doom”. It did not happen overnight. We inherited a system of governance from our colonial masters. The systems held up for a while when it was operated by the British trained bureaucrats, judges and military establishment. As this generation faded away, so did our moral values. Onset of moral decay is a slippery slope. With passage of time the decline has accelerated. Now we are stuck in a downward spiral that can literally undo us as a functioning state.
This is not an alarmist proclamation. It is happening now in Lebanon. Its capital Beirut was known as the “Paris of the East” in the seventies. It had become the business and social hub of the Middle East. In the eighties it went through a devastating civil war amongst its religious and ethnic factions that nearly destroyed the country. Lebanon turned a corner in the early nineties. Under Rafique Hariri it went through an admirable phase of rebuilding. I had an opportunity to visit this country while it was going through that phase. You could see the pock marked and destroyed buildings being repaired. The resilient Lebanese responded by going about life in their happy ways.
However given their diverse composition, fractures started to re-appear in 21st century. Their parliamentary system became dysfunctional. It brought woes like it has done in many developing countries. The fractured factions caused disruptions and corruption became the order of the day. The legal system is broken and the greedy ruling elite enriched themselves robbing the country blind; something we are very familiar with in Pakistan.
What were the consequences of this breakdown? Lebanese lira fell in value by 90%. The banking system is broken. Majority of their deposits are owned by 8 families. Inflation rose by 145% between 2019 and now. Their GDP fell from 52 Billion to 22Bn during the same period. A soldier’s salary was equivalent to $900 per month in 2019; it is worth $50 now! Corruption has destroyed that country.
On the other hand, South Koreans came to Pakistan during Ayub Khan’s regime to learn about his 5 year plans. They learnt from it while Pakistan went into a self destructive mode under Bhutto’s socialism. Today each of their top 10 companies has a higher GDP than Pakistan. Bear in mind this country imports virtually everything from food to fuel. It focused on educating the nation, dispensation of justice, improved governance and a work ethic second to none. It is amongst the wealthiest nations.
The purpose of giving these diametrically opposed examples is to highlight what nations can achieve or destroy if they don’t deal with the “kutas in their khohs”. From amongst the political players in our field, the best option was to seek change through PM IK. He is a patriot and incorruptible. However it is becoming evident that these two qualities are not enough in such a devious and corrupt society.
We have a 3 times Prime Minister convicted and jailed who weaseled his way to flee the country. He is showing the middle finger to all and sundry. The State is helpless, if we ignore the rhetoric. Shahbaz Sharif guaranteed the return of NS making false promises. He continues to be a contender for the top slot. This is despite tons of evidence of money laundering on record against him. Yet he remains scot-free. The accountability process has failed and appears toothless. Corruption at all levels of government is prospering, increasing by the day.
Clearly the present system of governance is bankrupt. To expect a change under it is akin to living in a fool’s paradise. Even if ten of the most corrupt elite had been punished it would have given some hope. The clock is running out, these tormentors and leeches remain in the arena like hyenas tearing the flesh of the nation. Unless drastic steps are taken, all dreams of an economic turnaround will be extinguished.
