New decisions

Since assuming power after the July elections, the PTI has made it clear that the central planks of its governance strategy will be a focus on austerity and efforts to stamp out corruption. Prime Minister Imran Khan got the ball rolling with his decision to eschew the comforts of the PM House – a mostly symbolic gesture that is meant to set the tone for the rest of the government. The federal cabinet has followed through with similar decisions. Government officials who were previously allowed to travel first class on international trips will now fly business class and the prime minister will not use official aircraft for foreign visits. Such decisions, even if implemented, will not have a significant effect on the budget deficit but the hope will be that this leads to a tightening of belts across the board. More importantly, the cabinet has also decided to abolish the discretionary funds of the prime minister, the president, the cabinet and members of the National Assembly. While there is no doubt that discretionary funds have been misused and even stolen in the past, they also serve a useful purpose of allowing government officials to act swiftly in times of need. Now that discretionary funds for representatives at the federal level are being abolished, the onus will be on parliament to act quickly in appropriating funds where they are most required.

On the anti-corruption front, the cabinet has decided to conduct an audit of all mega transport projects in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The PTI government has said it will start the process of accountability by examining itself and the Peshawar Bus Rapid Transit would be the perfect jumping-off point since it was bedevilled by accusations of corruption. The government needs to be careful that its anti-corruption efforts are not directed only against its opponents. Targeting political enemies under the guise of accountability has been a regular feature of our politics. The PTI needs to be different if it is to retain the faith of the public. The cabinet’s earlier decision to place Nawaz Sharif and Maryam Nawaz on the Exit Control List smacked of precisely that kind of vindictiveness. A free media will be essential to check the actions of the government which makes the announcement by Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry that PTV and Radio Pakistan would be depoliticised and independent a welcome one indeed. As always, though, it is actions that will matter more than words. The new government has made a positive impression with its first decisions but judgement will have be withheld until it shows it is capable of keeping its promises.