Daily Times

Blessed are the tracks that bring us home, in spite of thick fog and smog, turbulent winds, shifting sands, darkness spreading around though it is not night yet, sun not shining for days, spreading doom and gloom. Oh, where is my home? Memory fails to recall, where did I park my car? God, I had all my papers in there. Thank Goodness that was just a dream, I realised with the return of a flashing beam. Think smart, carve your way, while the sun shines make hay. Thank your stars for a jolly ride, a linkage to success and blooming favourable sway.

I only wish that what has been happening and continues to be a source of worry for our economy and society was simply a dream. But it is not so. Pakistan is facing tough real issues that need to be tackled. Going after the ‘big fish’, while probably well intentioned, does not help in solving the endemic problem of corruption. The problem with focusing only on high profile cases is that corruption gets sidelined in the bid to make news headlines. The original problem thus remains unsolved. In fact, we need to focus on steps required to eliminate the root causes of all negativity, and what leads to corruption. We should avoid situations that force people to think negatively of our institutes and their intentions and agendas. An air of victimization of government’s opponents, and being visibly biased in decisions and action takes credibility away from accountability.

Political-bureaucratic agenda of the current rulers is non-productive. It has to give way to a more pragmatic approach leading to fairness and justice. Political directions must be removed from the accountability process. Please remember: there is no substitute to pragmatic, practical policy making at the highest government level. A sound policy is an automatic check on things and people going wrong.

Politicians need to have vision and wisdom to look beyond the immediate. They should at least regret their undesirable, anti-national behaviour and attitude while in opposition. I deliberately avoid giving a specific example because people remember everything. Re-introducing the local government system is good for strengthening the foundation of good governance and democratisation. But don’t forget foolish and primitive decisions of village councils or panchayats in the past. Some of the panchayats were in fact barbaric.

It is not enough to state that no country has succeeded in fighting poverty through IMF-World Bank loan programmes. Some countries have been able to avail of the opportunity and able to pay back through national policies and strict economic discipline.

Going after the ‘big fish’, while probably well intentioned, does not help in solving the endemic problem of corruption

The important thing is to put your house in order. Austerity is important along with honesty and a conviction to succeed. Once the new economic managers are finished with sealing an arrangement with the IMF, they will need to look at the economy holistically. The question is: will this new team be able to successfully take the kind of pressure unique to Pakistani brand of politics and deliver? Let us try and help them our best. Make no mistake: the current state of the economy does indeed pose as an existential threat to the country. The challenge is there. We need to look for opportunities. We need visionary policy making and honest, sincere, dynamic functioning structures and personnel with capacity and capability to deliver. The need is to focus on real issues.

For decades we have ignored the real need for a framework for madrassa reforms to take place. A job half done will not suffice. Just registration will not be enough. Seminaries or madrassas as an institution must be given an effective policy direction and mechanism to institutionalise what their agenda would be in terms of the syllabus and teaching methodology. There should be no shadow of doubt on the extent to which the government could regulate the seminaries. The initiative should not appear to be too little and too late.

Students of madrassas have to be taught life and vocational skills that enable them to become contributing members of the economy. We need to have a look at the golden period of Islam when madrassas were the real seat of learning with emphasis on science and technology along with religious education, philosophy, psychology and disciplines like arithmetic, algebra, trigonometry, all put under the head mathematics. The science of governing of men was also taught in madrassas. Religions scholars were invited to advise rulers on important issues. Therefore one can understand that the golden age of arts, logic and science along with the Quran had helped promote peace. Terrorism, radicalism and such other problems were unknown.

Devolution of power needs good people to practise public policy and administration. Our basic issue is nation building and character building. People of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan need to display an exemplary personal character, distinct from people of other countries. All Pakistanis are expected to live up to the ideals and ideology of Pakistan. It is the basic responsibility of educational institutions to build national character. Madrassas should not stay away from this demand. No default can be accepted if the government is sincere and serious.

One wonders how much the elimination of ‘mega corruption’ would be helpful in our present circumstances. Truly speaking, much time and resources have been wasted. No significant achievement in this context has been visible. Rather, it has damaged our national image and prestige. What could be more important than the accountability of a government that fails to understand real issues the nation and the state face?

There is dire need to discuss all strategic national issues in the parliament. Not doing so is frustrating all democracy. I for one would like to see an end to fear, hate and prejudice. I like to see light at the end of the tunnel. I am grateful to tracks that bring us home.

The writer is a former director of the National Institute of Public Administration. His latest book Existential Question for Pakistan discusses a range of issues related to governance and policy