Daily Times

Sir: The outgoing Chief Justice Saqib Nisar will be remembered for taking up suo motos for public interest. Judicial activism did take place because of an almost inactive executive slave to political expediencies and corrupt bureaucracy captive to insatiable greed for allotment of plots, kickbacks and conflicts of interest.

There is no doubt that concerned departments should have intervened to stop sale of hospital waste infected with hepatitis, HIV etc. Similarly it was role of political executive and bureaucracy to ensure that forest and state land, or private holdings were not illegally occupied by powerful land mafia who had become a state within a state, collecting bills for utilities and taxes from public who bought plots and houses. Even basic necessities like milk, drinking water etc are polluted with toxic chemicals.

People with fake degrees were being recruited in public sector organizations like PSO, PIA, CAA etc while qualified remained unemployed, leading to flight of human resources. Unchecked money laundering in full-know of state financial regulatory institutions took place, while foreign exchange reserves touched rock bottom, resulting in a debt-trap. Value-added exports have declined because state has failed to keep supervisory oversight to ensure manufacture of quality goods. Direct-tax collection from those earning above declared threshold has declined whilst indirect taxation levied leading to massive inflation and making it difficult for middle class and poor to eat two meals a day or educate their children.

Those at helm of affairs within bureaucracy, political elite and sensitive institutions, have visible split loyalties because either they or their family have abandoned this country choosing to live abroad with their assets, while they decide fate of over 200 Million citizens for whom this motherland.

ALI MALIK TARIQ

Lahore

Published in Daily Times, January 31^st 2019.