State Institutions: Public Facilitators or Public Troublemakers?
Zaheer Ahmed Awan
The Purpose of State Institutions
Across the world, state institutions are established to create ease and provide services for their citizens. With time, these institutions are updated and aligned with modern requirements. Their foremost priority remains the facilitation of the people.
The Reverse in Pakistan
Unfortunately, in our beloved Pakistan, institutions have ceased to be facilitators and have instead become sources of hardship for the people. Our bureaucracy is tirelessly engaged, not in serving the public, but in securing the progress and comfort of themselves and their families. Natural resources, public taxes, and foreign loans are consumed not for the welfare of the people, but for building private assets.
Bureaucracy’s Foreign Obsessions
Today, the favorite pursuit of the bureaucracy is to establish businesses abroad and secure foreign citizenship. Many officers settle their families overseas while they remain in charge of safeguarding the national treasury. Their children, whether in Pakistan or abroad, enjoy every possible facility.
A Culture of Bribery and Patronage
In every government department, it has become nearly impossible to get legitimate work done without bribery or political influence. From birth, death, marriage, and divorce certificates, to missing person reports, electricity, gas, and water connections—even building approvals—every task requires either bribery or connections.
The World vs. Us
Across the globe, “one-window operations” and online services are available to provide citizens doorstep facilities, saving both time and money. In developed countries, civil servants deliver excellent services from modest offices with simplicity and dedication. But in Pakistan, where poor citizens struggle to afford even two meals a day, their tax money funds the bureaucracy’s luxury cars, palatial offices, government residences, and free healthcare—yet no real efforts are made to facilitate the people.
The Cancer of Commission
To run these institutions, annual budgets and development funds are routinely exploited through commissions and kickbacks, causing constant damage to the national exchequer.
The Need for Urgent Reforms
I appeal to the country’s power corridors to take strict measures to improve this system. As a first step, strong legislation against corruption must be introduced. Comprehensive data of incompetent and corrupt officers should be compiled, their assets thoroughly scrutinized, and all development budgets immediately frozen. Transparent audits should be conducted by reputable audit firms, which themselves must also be strictly monitored. No government officer should be allowed to contact auditors during the audit process.
Encouraging Competent Officers
Officers with a good reputation should be encouraged and appointed to key positions. Every officer must be assigned a target to generate resources. Institutions like WASA, Metropolitan Corporations, PHA, and RDA should be made self-sustaining. For example, WASA should collect complete bills from domestic and commercial consumers, industries, private housing societies, factories, industrial units, and markets. Likewise, RDA and Metropolitan Corporations can generate billions annually from commercial constructions and by revising land leases. Government plots could be converted into markets and commercial hubs to create significant revenue.
Curbing Wasteful Expenditures
Billions of rupees are wasted annually on renting private buildings for government offices. Shifting these offices into government-owned premises could save huge amounts of money.
The Role of Responsible Citizens
In my view, reputable officers should be tasked with generating revenue and improving efficiency. As a responsible citizen, I am ready to voluntarily offer my services for the sake of my beloved Pakistan. Like me, countless patriotic citizens are willing to serve the nation selflessly.
Conclusion
I hope that those in authority will seriously consider these suggestions and take practical steps in the broader national and public interest. With such reforms, Pakistan can free itself from the burden of foreign debt and strengthen the national treasury.
