Corruption most viable economic activity in upper Sindh

[Naveed Yaseen]

By Imtaiz Hussain

Corruption, land grabbing, nepotism, favouritism, commission mafia and political wrangling have cast a shadow over the development and economic growth of upper Sindh.The districts of Khairpur and Ghotki are rich in natural gas and oil yet the people of area are deprived of basic rights including education, health, sanitation and drinking water.

The people are still under the yoke of hereditary feudal lords, tribal chiefs, headmen, and religious mystics that wield the real power and have least interest in development, for them the voters are merely herd of lambs that have only heard of democracy and universal suffrage.

Situation is that no industry was constructed to reduce poverty through job creation and there were no economic-activity generating projects launched in the upper Sindh.The forces of regression gobble up the development funds and the claims of efforts for bringing economic prosperity are only to dupe the foreign donors to give more aid.

In absence of any worthwhile development the only economic activities in upper Sindh are making money through corruption, land grabbing, harassment, and coercion. The feudal lords want to keep the upper Sindh an underdeveloped rural area producing only agri-commodities with no initiative for value addition. The forces of status quo want the whole society to stay put in a slumber like state. Thinking of change is heresy in upper Sindh.

The upper Sindh is under continued thereat of the tribal feuds. The people are kept engaged in fear, tension and animosity. The people of upper Sindh await change and men of integrity who will get rid of the pirs, mirs, feudal lords that enjoy omnipotence in every government and all decision-makings.

The Pakistan Peoples Party won the election with simple majority in Sindh, yet it failed to deliver its mandate. Instead of initiating a crackdown against the forces of exploitation, it used them for its own benefit.

Here in Upper Sindh the feudal lords, land grabbers, and pro-establishment lobbies during the Musharraf regime won on gunpoint the local bodies’ elections for Zila Nazims, Town Nazism, City Nazims, and Councilors.

These Nazims misused their powers to amass public money and other assets through corruption and favouritism.These Nazims were seen pale worried when PPP won the elections, fearing that the PPP led government would bring them before the accountability and dig out their corruption cases through Agencies. In simple local language the perpetrators of corruption were afraid that they would be ‘naked in public’.

Ironically the PPP government instead of taking action against the forces of corruption protected. The PPP leaders are reconciling with the henchmen of Mushraff regime to help them in possessing state land, stealing taxpayer money, pocketing foreign assistance meant for health and education, and how to deceive public at a mass level.

The local leaders of the PPP are looting the innocent people by taking bribes for providing government jobs and postings of desire and taking kickbacks in award of public works contract, roads and other development schemes. The people of Khairpur can name a number of PPP affiliates rising from rags to riches only with the help of manipulation and corruption.

While the PPP leaders don’t even want to step down from their luxury vehicles escorted by cavalcades of police and personal militia, 7,000 schools have shut down in Sindh, education system is on verge of collapse, hospitals are in dilapidated condition, dispensaries, basic health units are closed and there is shortage of the medicines. There is no one to inquire why funds meant for education and healthcare were used in purchase of luxury vehicles and other unnecessary expenses.

The government instead of focusing on sustainable development is overstaffing in health, excise and taxation, finance, and other departments. Most of the new employees have bagged the appointments against sizeable gratifications, yet the Sindh Government has declined to release budget for the newly appointed people. With no pay and a government job acquired through payment of gift-money to the powerbroker the cycle of corruption continues. Corruption today is the only worthwhile economic activity in upper Sindh, whether global, national, bulk, wholesale or retail, depends on the power of the corrupt person.

http://www.thenews.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=200565