Trickle-down austerity

Elected governments are required to invest taxpayers' funds in development of infrastructure. Yet, billions are spent on advertising campaigns and bureaucratic excess. It often seems like the government spends more on launching, promoting or, in some rare cases, celebrating developments then actually engaging in them. State officials are also over-compensated for what little work they do. All this waste must cease. Austerity must start from the top, given the grave economic crunch Pakistan faces. Only then, will it begin to trickle down.

Malik Tariq Ali

Lahore