National Loss: Machinery Squandered

Millions Squandered Whilst Nation Faces Huge Debts, Poverty

Asem Mustafa Awan

Islamabad: Machinery worth millions is wasted owing to bigwigs who, on one pretext or the other, are hell-bent on giving a dent to the national exchequer.

The trucks are purchased with public money and the public as always has no say in the ‘land of the pure’ as they exist and breathe on a day-to-day basis, which is also laborious owing to polluted air having toxic levels.

The Water and Sanitation Agency (WASA) office in Rawalpindi is a living proof of government official’s apathy, who believe in safeguarding their perks and privileges rather than serving the public.

These vehicles worth millions of rupees could have served the masses in the work for which they are purchased but owing to officials’ indifference and incompetency, they are wasted under the sun. This is but one office; how many offices and how many of these vehicles are getting rusted is a question that has an amount running into the millions.

The question remains why the national exchequer is wasted without a thought, while an example in the history of Pakistan is the great Quaid Muhammad Ali Jinnah, the founding father of the nation, who ensured the light was switched off as he left the office. This is not all; there are many examples where Quaid made sure to instil the thought of protecting the national exchequer in his subordinates at all costs.

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There are many government offices that have tales that can put the entire nation to shame as to how callously public funds have been wasted. According to the Cabinet Division, Rs125 million were spent on the repair of vehicles used by federal ministers and ministers of state, while Rs78.6 million were spent on fuelin past four years.

Moreover, the federal government spent an estimated Rs27.5 million on foreign trips of ministers just in the last five months between April 2022 and October 15, 2022.

The need of the hour is that there should be some legislation, as in departmental laws, to ensure that the vehicles in service during wear and tear are made roadworthy in due course of time, and failing to achieve the desired results should have penalties on the very department and all those who work should get penalized till the very vehicle is repaired.

A simple departmental rule will encourage these officials to develop a responsible attitude, which is evident when they use their own personal belongings.

This is a dream shared by all, and entire nation believes it will come as it did during the Quaid’s time. The quest now is to find that Quaid who can make it happen for Pakistan and take it to the heights envisioned by the nation’s father, Muhammad Ali Jinnah, 75 years ago.

The writer is a journalist based in Islamabad and writes on a wide range of issues.

Photo by Raja Asim