Electing experts a must for sustainable economic turnaround

Comment

By Mansoor Ahmad

LAHORE: In a country like Pakistan ordinary citizens pin hopes on almost every newly-elected government for an economic turnaround but most of them end up poorer by the time its term expires.

None of the political parties in Pakistan has individuals that are experts in different fields like governance, agriculture, finance, industry, and energy or water management. In fact most of these portfolios are assigned to the politicians that have no expertise in these fields.

Most of the ministers are members of national assembly and career politicians. Majority of them have switched parties frequently. It is unrealistic to expect them to deliver as they had been in previous governments and maintained the status quo.

This is the reason that Pakistan still suffers from the same problems that plagued it 40 years back. Its tax revenues are much less than its expenditures. Its sovereign debt has been continuously rising over the years. Its imports have always been way higher than its exports during the past four decades, while the trade gap has constantly been yawning at an alarming rate since 1999.

The poverty increases and decreases periodically but those, who wriggle out of poverty remain highly vulnerable to economic and natural shocks. Health indicators of people of Pakistan are much inferior to that of Bangladesh that two decades back was among the poorest countries of the world.

It is because of the status quo, stubbornly maintained by the political elite, that there are double standards in education and health facilities. The rich get the global best and the poor the global worst.

It is interesting to note the joint family system is going out of fashion among the

richest segments of society, while poor families

staunchly adhere to joint family system. This system is a kind of deterrence against bad times.

When a member of this system loses his/her source of income, they are supported by others.

They share whatever is available at that moment. Otherwise for a poor person everything is terrible — illness, humiliation, shame. Poverty cripples them, they are scared of everything, they depend on everyone but no one needs them. They are like garbage that everyone wants to get rid of.

Still at the time of each election they see a ray of hope.

It is however very sad that they do not have a choice. They have loyalty towards a political party but they are loyal to individuals.

These individuals are termed as electables. The voters are made to believe that everything that went wrong was because of the bad policies of the ruling party.

They are assured the new party, the electable has recently joined, would deliver after coming to power.

This game of musical chairs is going on for several decades. The political elite protect its interests in every government and the poor get nothing.

The best opportunity that political parties get to induct professionally competent people in the government is through senate where, instead of politicians, the party tickets should be given to health, education, governance and economic experts.

They may also be inducted as ministers and planners

to take the country to next level. Poverty can be permanently eliminated through prudent policies that may go against the vested interests.