Rawalpindi : The outgoing year 2023 has left the worst memories in the minds of people across the country because the government fared poorly in showing its performance in any field. The public faced one crisis after the other but concerned authorities failed to address public grievances.
The residents of Rawalpindi have been facing record mismanagement, lawlessness, inflation, favouritism, and corruption in government departments but higher authorities were reluctant to take any kind of action against it and seeing the whole drama with blind eyes. It seems that all government officers were playing like a ‘puppet’ in the hands of local political leadership of different political parties.
The shameful performance of government officers has also dented local leaderships of different political parties in upcoming general elections scheduled on February 8, 2024. The local leadership also called the ‘Master of City’ were fully backing corrupt government officers therefore public became a ‘rolling stone’ in the hands of corrupt officers in 2023. It seemed that it was a policy of government officers to take all news items non-seriously and decided to provide a safe passage to corrupt officers in all government departments here in Rawalpindi.
The commissioner and deputy commissioner completely flopped to control ever-increasing inflation in the open market and corruption in all civic departments. The concept of price magistrates has failed adding to the miseries of a common man paying a big cost of living. The profiteers and hoarders are openly ruling and earning over 200 per cent profit on all items. The transporters are charging extra fares from commuters but authorities concerned are seeing the whole drama with closed eyes. Metropolitan Corporation Rawalpindi (MCR) is an ideal department for officers to do corruption therefore all government officers want to get a post here in this department. Over 90 per cent of commercial buildings remain illegal here in the limits of MCR but concerned authorities have remained silent in 2023.
Commissioner Rawalpindi Division Liaquat Ali Chatha who is the Administrator of MCR making tall claims to take strong action against corrupt officers but in vain. The public was paying a big amount as a ‘bribe’ even to get a death or birth certificate from MCR. Rawalpindi Development Authority (RDA) is also an ideal department for officers to do corruption. Those officers were looking after illegal housing societies they were already facing FIRs on corruption charges.
Water and Sanitation Agency (Wasa) is near to collapse due to corrupt officers. Over 50 per cent of tube wells have been out of order while government officers demand 6 per cent commission from contractors to clear their bills. The water supply Sub-Engineer and other staff demanded a ‘bribe’ openly to start supplying water otherwise nothing but big bosses were seeing the whole drama with closed eyes. The deputation officers have destroyed Wasa completely but nobody was present here to take action against them. Over 50 per cent of garbage lifting vehicles here in Rawalpindi Waste Management Company (RWMC) are out of order.
Similarly, the performance of Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE), Rawalpindi, Excise and Taxation (E&T), Parks and Horticulture Authority (PHA), Transport Authority, Traffic Wardens, Police Department, Rawalpindi Waste Management Company (RWMC), Revenue Department and even lower courts was not ideal in 2023.
In 2023, the profiteers and hoarders looted innocent public with both hands and poor people purchased all eatable items at the rate of ‘gold’ but nobody took any kind of action to control inflation. It is difficult to buy even common items like onion, potato, tomato, ginger, and garlic due to exorbitant rates.
During 2023, the caretaker cabinet continuously increased the rates of electricity and natural gas which has broken the back of the common man.
The upcoming general elections which would be held on February 8 are a big hope for the public in 2024 in which people were expecting relief through elected representatives where the public could cry and express their grievances before them, people expressed the hoped.
