‘Caretaker govt should continue present economic policies’

LAHORE: The coming caretaker government should continue the present government’s economic and other good policies.

The caretaker government should restrain from making any agreement with international institutions, for which, the next government have to pay as it was faced by the Benazir and Nawaz Sharif governments in the past.

These views were expressed by the experts in Jang Economic Session titled “What should be Priorities of the Caretaker Government.” The panelists were Dr Rafiq Ahmed, Dr Pervaiz Tahir, Dr Ihsan Malik, Falahat Imran, Aneela Saleem and Farooq Tariq. The event was hosted by Sikandar Lodhi.

Dr Rafiq Ahmed said the caretaker government should avoid making any such decisions, of which cost would have to be paid by the next government and the problems of the public were increased. He said the past experiences were not good in this regard. He said the caretaker government only performed the duties of a caretaker and make a committee of expected wining political party to control the situation.

He said the policy on the CPEC should be made carefully. He said the time of the people in the caretaker set-up should work amicably.Dr Pervaiz Tahir said the caretaker government’s responsibility was to continue the administrative matters, whereas, policy making was not its duty. The Election Commission of Pakistan is responsible for holding the election, he added.

He said the caretaker set-up’s responsibility was to focus the economic policies. He said fluctuations in currency could be a reason for some decision by the government, but this was also responsibility of State Bank of Pakistan (SBP).

He said the concept of caretaker set-up was being abolished globally, therefore, a constitutional amendment should also be made in Pakistan to give power to the caretaker for only administrative matters.

Dr Ihsan Malik said the past experiences of the caretaker set-ups were not good so the new caretaker set-up should only perform administrative matters, and it should not interfere in the institutional matters.

He said there was no harm in taking big steps for health, education and other civic facilities but the caretaker government should avoid big economic decisions. He said reduction in trade deficit was the need of the hour. The caretaker set-up should focus peace, transparent election, discouragement of corruption.

Falahat Imran said the caretaker set-up should mainly focus transparent election besides taking steps to stop devaluation of currency and reduce trade deficit. She suggested continuity of the policies.

Aneela Saleem said the caretaker set-up should not support any political party and avoid any policy decision such as currency devaluation and others. She suggested the caretaker set-up call all stakeholders to discuss how to hold further devaluation of currency and revisit the threats to the local industry due to the CPEC projects. She said the policy reforms for economic revival were the need of the hour.

Farooq Tariq said that the caretaker set-up should avoid major decisions as constitutionally elected government could make economic decisions. He said the caretaker set-up should ensure conduct of unbiased and transparent elections. He called for providing equal rights to all political parties rights.