When the times get tough, one ought to knuckle down; tighten their belts and pinch pennies. Well, this commonly-known formula to get through economic straits does not seem to apply in Pakistan where the induction of five new Special Assistants to the Prime Minister in the largest-ever cabinet in the history of the country has drawn eyebrows far and wide. An immediate consequence of the latest round of politically-motivated appointments in the executive would be an unbearable yet completely unnecessary burden on an already fragile economy. Why is the national kitty being forced to stomach the expensive perks and allowances at a time the government is busy knocking on the doors of friends and lending agencies for a few extra dollars, one may wonder? Given its naked disregard for the constitutionally-mandated size (11 per cent of the total membership of both houses) despite lofty pledges to save the sinking ship out of patriotism, the ruling coalition is clearly standing on a two-legged stool. Those in power may have closed their eyes to the shocking realities on the ground but the tide cannot wait for them to forge and maintain intra-party loyalties. That a financial shark is more in tune with what may help steer us out of turbulent waters than those supposed to be the nation’s messiah speaks volumes about our skewed priorities. Increasing the number of an unusually oversized cabinet is no impressive record Mr Sharif and his allies are determined to carve their names on. It is quite unfortunate that when these leaders sit on opposition benches, they create a ruckus over such announcements but the minute they step onto the red carpet, they forget their scathing criticism and shamelessly follow in the shadows of their predecessors. Wasn’t it just last year that the PTI-led 50-member cabinet had become the talk of the town as a deplorable back-scratching exercise? Since the present administration had taken over solely because of their self-touted brilliance in administration, there remains no need to repeat the mistakes of the days gone by. Even on an ideal day, Pakistan does not require a long, long line of ministers to oversee departments that could easily be merged to reduce portfolios. Like charity, austerity, too, begins at home. *