Discontent testing sovereignty

LAHORE: Pakistan has survived the worst terrorist activities with national cohesion. Now the same country armed with an atomic arsenal is fighting for survival as there is massive political discontent in the society.

The discontent has spread all over. It is in many cases spreading disharmony within families.

It has spread in bureaucracy and institutions. A person is declared partisan on any action or decision taken against the warring groups taken at bureaucratic

or any other level (irrespective of the merit or demerit of the decision).

The writ of the government has been completely eroded. Economy does not flourish in societies where there is no government writ.

We generally conceive that a satisfactory law and order situation indicates the control of the state on its affairs. What we fail to realise is that the government has to exert its writ on economic affairs as well.

Rampant tax evasion in the country is indicative of the fact that successive governments in Pakistan abdicated their right to collect fair revenues and thus paved the way for sustained increase in inequality.

The civil society is at a loss to identify who is the number one enemy in its ranks. Are they terrorists or tax evaders, smugglers and hoarders, those that

give bribes or accept bribes, electricity or gas thieves or the

dacoits and robbers that loot the citizens?

Or the bitterly divided politicians, who through their hatred for each other, indirectly support the unscrupulous elements in the country.

Pakistanis are wondering about their actual identity. What they observe all around is as bad as terrorism.

Terrorists destroy lives and property. The absentee or indifferent doctors at hospitals and clinics are responsible for many deaths that are caused due to their negligence.

Rampant corruption in the country still dents the economy more than the damage caused by terror attacks. It is the duty of the government of the day to control these illegal activities.

Unfortunately, these illegal activities continued to increase during the tenure of the last four governments.

Politicians, whenever in opposition, oppose the action against tax evaders and smugglers (authorities are even forbidden to confiscate smuggled goods).

Smuggling, under-invoicing and mis-declaration of goods has become a norm in our trading system because the custom officers and other agencies with no fear of accountability find it convenient and lucrative to cooperate in these unlawful activities.

The governments that shy away from their responsibilities cannot be expected to boost the economy.

Social injustice and economic deprivation breeds discontent that could in extreme cases lead to terrorism.

When hoarding of all food items like wheat, rice, potato, onion, garlic and ginger is tolerated by the state, food prices are then determined by the hoarders, who put everything out of reach of a large section of society.

We have been tolerating all kinds of malpractices that destroy our social fabric as well as our economy. The ever increasing inequalities do not bother us.

We respect people on the basis of their wealth status and not on their moral character. What we do not tolerate is religious belief or political differences.

Is the government waiting for more disasters to befall the nation before they start taking action against unscrupulous elements in the society?