Daily Times

Because of its frequent use, the politico-economic term “austerity” has started to lose its oomph factor in Pakistan. Whenever the ruling elite mentions it as the need of the hour, the middle and lower-income classes tremble to think about the sacrifices being expected from them at the altar.

In June, Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah held his head high and rejoiced in passing a record “balanced” (to borrow his words) Rs 3.056 trillion budget all the while proposing the levy of sales tax on health care and education in a bid to “assure relief for poor segments.”

Mocking its own lofty campaign of reduced expenditure, nonetheless, the Sindh Government has now requested the finance department to release Rs 2 billion to procure 138 luxury vehicles for assistant commissioners, with plans underway for even more luxurious vehicles for deputy commissioners.

As is the norm, the provincial government spokesperson was quick to emphasise that the funds had already been greenlit owing to the unavoidable nature of the expense. However, whether the notification followed due process is just an insignificant part of the debate. Far more pressing questions arise about why such policies are prioritized when the government claims the inability to initiate new development programs.

Is this pomp and galore intended to highlight the dividing line between the rulers and ruled, and how the plight of one bears no significance whatsoever on the actions of another?

Instead of addressing rampant reservations about the performance of the PPP-led government, which has not significantly improved people’s lives despite progressive increases in the development outlay in the last two decades, such ill-conceived notions only serve to fuel the growing frustration. Acute water shortage and the performance of electricity companies, for instance, are only the tip of the governance iceberg that should have been dealt with first.

Our experience is littered with examples of politicians relying on the age-old rhetoric of austerity to constitute committees or exaggerate the impact of some cosmetic measures to avoid reforms that actually hold substance. *