Author: Saki Nama

Ok Herd!

Considering the ugly financial shape of the country, the budget 2022-23 is just fine. Or you can say its ugly; not uglier. Sounds better? Doesn’t matter.

Let’s start with the mighty military budget for the mighty military who stands as the citadel of Islam. Though succumbing to 5,000 TTP. But you don’t know the details of business. The business of blood. And bodies. And missing people.

I deviate. So, bear the deviations.

Total size of the federal budget is Rs.9,502 billion. How cheap! Of that, Rs.3,950 billion will simply go in debt payments. So, it’s like Rs.5,552 billion budget; hence prepared with deficit. Of that Rs.5,552 billion, Rs.1,523 billion is for military.

And that’s a lie.

Rs.1,523 billion is a direct military budget which does not include military pensions (of Rs.395 billion), import of military hardware, parade costs, nuclear program, and supplementary grants (which were Rs.110 billion 2021-22). So, concisely, it’s over Rs.2,200 billion.

This all is apart from business enterprises. Corn. DHAs. Roads. Cereals. Serials. Movies. MILBUS.

Interestingly – not so – military budget is the only budget that got increased.

Health budget got reduced from Rs.28.4 billion to Rs.19.6 billion.

Education budget got reduced from Rs.92 billion to Rs.90.5 billion.

Grant to HEC got reduced from Rs.65.3 billion to Rs.65 billion.

So, you may know, who owns this land and who runs the affairs. So, you may reflect deep inside. And think. And evolve. And become Shaheen of Iqbal. And fly. To new horizons. In new lands. Through immigrations. Or asylums. It’s a lose-lose. A loser here, a loser there. A first-class loser here, a third-class loser there.

Now before you lose the erection of goosebumps, its better we move ahead with the budget. 15% increase in salaries of government employees and merging of previous ad-hoc allowances would be a relief. PTI didn’t help government employees in last 3.5 (3 full and 1 interim) budgets.

But what about the rest?

For the poor, there is nothing to be honest. There will be Rs.2,000 per month for families and subsidized petrol and similar other dramatics but that would all be stinky. That would all be not for the poor. The needy will have to beg to attain these.

But for the rich, there are gifts. First, there is Rs.699 billion for subsidies. Obviously, these subsidies would go for big mafias and their businesses. Sugar, textile, roads, development, housing, etc. Subsidies are always for the elite. Remember that. You may get some pennies in the shower but nothing more.

A lot could have been done for the economy and the poor. For example:

• Subsidies of all kinds could have been banned.
• Non-feasible development projects in PSDP could have been dropped. With the current situation, PSDP should not have been more than Rs.400 billion.
• All foreign funded projects could have been halted. Instantly.
• Perks and privileges of bureaucrats, judges, and generals could have been slashed.
• Military budget could have been halted. Military pension could have been merged in military budget with some slashes.
• Import of new military equipment for one year could have been banned.
• Travelling for meetings could be banned for one year.
• Free electricity units could be stopped for all, including WAPDA employees.
• Procurement of all kinds of vehicles (except ambulances and transport buses) could have been banned.

And one subsidy should have stayed. PETROL.

Whatever the popular opinion or economists are saying, this is the ugliest decision by the government so far. These additional Rs.60 per liter (with overall cost to reach 250 per liter) are going to hurt everyone. Everything is going to be expensive in coming days. This hyperinflation with stagflation is going to put a misery show.

If only fuel prices could have been managed, things could have been managed. But this didn’t happen. With the increase in fuel prices, transport of goods and FMCGs are going to increase. Electricity, as we are mostly dependent on IPPs, are going to increase as well. With that, production cost of everything is going to go up. Everything is going to go up, except public life.

One day salary from all the government and private sector employees from a certain grade and above could have deducted each month to handle this. More cuts could have been added in PSDP and ADPs to handle this. A lot could have been done. In the long-run, Pakistan definitely needs to plan to get out of IPPs and fuel-based energy production.

The times ahead are going to be bad. The whole working class is going to be pushed down. Middle class is not going to be the same middle class in the times to come.

Anyway. Who cares? Cigarettes are not taxed much. We can puff and exhale the inflation through lungs. It works. Always.  

Zafar Mirza wrote in Dawn on 03.06.2022 and proposed higher taxes on cigarettes to maintain some financial balance. He gave example of Philippines where taxes were imposed up to 1000% on cigarettes in 2012. Tax revenues from cigarettes grew from PHP 32 billion (2012) to PHP 106 billion (2017) with 3 million less smokers. And that revenue was used for health which enhanced from PHP 50 billion in 2013 to PHP 165 billion in 2019. How cool is smoking? Wonders!

So, cheer up. We have all the wrong priorities. As always. Because here, elites serve elites. The government is elite. Bureaucracy is elite. Military is elite. Landlords are elite.  The problem is, they are so dumb and even then, they manage to fool the public. May be public is even dumber?

Government is predicting inflation of 13-14%. It’s going to be double than that. For sure. And with that inflation in cards, mini budget is sure to come up soon. This budget may be considered as a tentative budget.

That’s all for federal budget. You can cherry-pick to take sides. Can blame it on PTI for the mess of 3.5 years. Or can blame PMLN for the mess of 2 months. Or you can blame the actual culprits. Wherever your cherry-picking takes you.

Punjab tried to present the provincial budget yesterday but failed. There was no finance minister but then there was but then there wasn’t. It was a chaos. One good thing about development of Punjab (ADP 2022-23) is that they said no to DDP-II. Initially, there were talks to bless the parliamentarians, just like what PTI did in 2021-22, but then it was discarded. DDP was a crime. And its price would be paid by taxpayers for years to come.

Times are tough. There is a war which is causing fuel hike and wheat scarcity. Fine.

But our story is different. We always have a war inside. Military keeps on putting jokers and things get uglier. This time, military itself got exposed – thank goodness – and now everyone is running naked in the street. The one ruling, the one thrown out, and the one waiting; all are military stooges. Puppets. Waiting for their turn to oblige the masters. Everyone trying to go one step ahead of the predecessors to please the masters. Just like what the Cartoon Prime Minister did with new powers to ISI regarding appointments and promotions of public officer holders.

When you get all this, and you face the heat of inflation, and all the mess around; do remember to point at the right direction. Who did that to you?

That’s all. You must prepare yourself. Brace for impact.

Total TTP strength is roughly 5k. They have killed tens of thousands since 2007. 79,999? Who knows? They caused damages in billions.

Yet, they live. And are loved sometimes. A lot of times.

Because we love blood. On hands. In streets. Mud on face. Such disgrace. Kicking our arse all over the place.

We are in a complicated relationship status.
Again.
Trying to mend ways.
Again.
In talks. In negotiations.
Again.
Missing Ehsan Ullah Ehsan?
Again?

Here goes the nukes. In your arse. Orgasmic? Nationalism is orgasmic. It gives you nothing – except a release – and takes everything from you.

With a standing army of roughly 650k, it’s the 5k that are dictating the narrative. Without taking a budget. Or pensions. They just set their price with blood. APS massacre is their top achievement. Disgrace!

The whole system is farce. An illusion. Everyone is for leverage. Look!

When PTI was in power, Maryam Nawaz used to go and cry with families of missing people. She promised promises.

Now PMLN is in power, Shireen Mazari is actively running her ex-ministry of human rights. She is talking about missing people and military atrocities.

Liars. Hypocrites. Arseholes.

Even when they speak, they speak for themselves. They speak to get a higher rating. In front of GHQ. To be selected again.

Meanwhile, you sit with all of them. You cry on their shoulders. You become emotional.

Just when you should aim for their collars, you rest on their shoulders. Your fault!

I ain’t for violence. Never been. But I would opt to be Maximilien Robespierre any day, even when I know that Napoleon will rule within 10 years and the state will become fascist yet again. That’s not the point.

Or, let’s say, better to reign in hell than to serve in heaven. Because it’s not your heaven. Never been.

Until then, 5k will dictate 650k. The largest province will suffer with violence of 650k. 650k will always surrender to foreign powers and will oppress the internal 220 million. With or without puppets.

You have nuclear bombs. But no electricity. And water scarcity. And 25 million out-of-school kids. And health in crises of its own.

I Deviated. Let me come again:

You have nuclear bombs. Which means, you have nuclear deterrence.

Still, you have new idiotic projects of new missiles every year. New strikes. New this and that. Useless. You have deterrence already. Why are you wasting funds in billions on useless gimmicks?

In short-term at least, you don’t need parades, new missiles, new jets, new weapons, and a lot of non-military stuff. But you do. You keep on enhancing. And all this doesn’t include the commercial MILBUS that the state has no power to interfere. Yet, the defense isn’t satisfied.  

You have nuclear bombs. You have the deterrence already. There is no threat of war. Halt further till the economy stands. But no. If. But. Nothing personal. Strictly business.

Last year, it was Rs.1,402 billion – excluding Rs.369 billion military pensions. This also doesn’t include anything that FWO earns from national projects or the MILBUS conglomerate of value up to $50 billion.

“What are you talking about lad!”

That we have nuclear bombs yet…

“This is not your domain.”

It is us, the civilians, who are…

“Stay idiot. Stay foolish.”

You are in no position to…

“Hit snooze!”

I decline.

“Now! That’s an order!”

Dismissed!

“You are dis… miss… ing…”  

30 more. 60 in quick days. Petrol is taking a hike and no one’s giving a damn. Damn!

No relief for the poor. Nothing. But stories of bankruptcy and all the irrelevant shit that has nothing to do with you – continue.

Yet no one’s going bankrupt except those who are already bankrupt.

Make things tough. Make the law tough with books and jargons so people may have to hire lawyers for simple cases. Educated people walking and standing behind un-educated lawyers. A common sight.

The same goes for the budget and economy. This rating, that index. Blah blah numbers. Jargons. Trends. Percentages. Crashing down. It all falls down.

Dollar rate doesn’t concern the poor. The same goes for the stock market. They don’t want you to give billions of rupees in reliefs and bailouts to sugar, land, textile, and other mafias. That new missile and new weaponry system is not for the poor. Just like the DHA or Bahria or new Lahore City.

But the budget goes the elite way. Like bailouts. And reliefs. The poor go to the petrol pump to curse his own misery of existence in a relatively non-existent land.

The house of cards is standing on an already broken backbone of the poor. Inflation – already hitting badly – will shoot further. Transportation will become pretty expensive. So will the non-existent electricity. Everything is going to be expensive.

The budget is not going to give a raise to the middle or salaried class. They will give some relief. So you may know. Your worthless class. Your subconscious may further fall down. Like everything.

Even His Highness is broke. Imagine! Don’t!

Cut down perks of all kinds (fuel, drivers, more than 1 vehicles, etc.) for bureaucrats, judges and the whole establishment.

Ban travelling for all government meetings across the country. Meetings should be online.

Ban free electricity or units for everyone, including WAPDA employees.

Ban procurement of staff vehicles.

Cut down wasted budget on military.

Ask the military to handle military pensions through their billion-dollars MILBUS empire.

Stop subsidies and bailout packages of any kind in all industries.

Cut down non-feasible development projects in all sectors of both PSDP and ADPs.

Stop all the foreign funded projects. Instantly.

And fix the maximum salary too. There must be maximum wage like minimum wage, at least in the government where non-consultable consultants are hired on millions.

But no. The cuts will be on education and health first. Then on development for the poor. Then on water. And all the basic things.

Not all but only some of the above mentioned steps can resolve things. Particularly, military related expenditures. Burden for nothing but burden.

The clown PM and his whole cabinet and the whole system is up to nothing. PMLN had no homework. No presitge. Nothing. Apparently, everything is up to the known-unknowns. But the time shall write who signed the cruel orders in already oppressed times.

And expecting out-of-the-box solutions from PMLN – or anyone to be honest – is stupidity in itself.

O’ my dearly robbed poor fellows! Don’t worry. You are fucked-up anyway. Here and hereafter.

If you guys remember about DDP (District Development Package) that was included in ADP 2021-22 of Punjab – imposed by CM Office without consent / approval from administrative departments – then you must know where we stand today in terms of budgeting.

First, do search “DDP” on this page and you will find a detailed post from last year. That DDP was introduced to reduce the pressure of forward block in PTI that was forming in Punjab last year. That DDP has robbed billions of rupees which have gone to waste. Useless infrastructures were raised with the intention to gain votes by next General Elections.

Objectively speaking, of the total ADP 2021-22 budget of Rs.560 billion, Rs.360 billion were allocated for DDP in Punjab. Of the total 7,122 projects, around 3,600 were DDP which were to be funded in 2-3 years. By the way, of the total Rs.560 billion development budget, Rs.60 billion were for Health Insurance; yes, that’s not even ‘development’.

Anyway, shit happened and they were all sent packing.

With those half built structures erected, new government is not ready to own them. Not all, at least. Some of the useless projects shall be dropped (rightly) and remaining will be funded in piecemeal for years and years. But who will be answerable for the billions already spent and lost? Umm! No one!

This shows not only the criminal mindset of politicians, but also the impotency of bureaucrats. All the bureaucrats who were CS, PS to CM, Chairman P&D, Finance Minister, and all the administrative secretaries of Punjab during May-June 2021 were those who were part of this crime. That was a huge waste. Imposed without feasibility studies. Dictatorial times.

Don’t ask if anything is great now. It is same as before. PMLN has brought its favorite bureaucrats in top positions – who love to serve PMLN more than the general public. This new lot of bureaucrats will hurt the system and public exactly the same way, but in another direction.

Now to the point!

Your subsidies hurt because your money is already wasted. Your money has gone to please the ministers. It has gone in housing schemes and development scams. It has been burned in sarkari vehicles. Dalay for dallay. Your money is already gone. Whoosh!

Story time:
Once upon a time, Chairman P&D wanted his wife to be hired in Bills & Melinda Gates Foundation for a polio project. The Chairman did all he could but the wife failed. Sad! But this didn’t end. The Chairman asked Secretary of the concerned Department to end the contract with Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The Secretary did by formally issuing a letter – imagine his secretariat capabilities. Anyway, long story short, PM Office had to call CM Punjab to sort this shit out. The shit was sorted but none was suspended. All worked as usual as nothing criminal has happened.
Story ended without any conclusion.

Foreign-funded projects go to another level. They are robbing people with an interest rates. Do you know all the projects – which aren’t aid – have to be paid back with an interest rate over the years? No you don’t. Next time you open an ADP book of any province, have a look on foreign funded projects. And then do a research on what they are actually doing. You can have complete data from the source sites which are funding the projects. For example, World Banks’ website has all the data of their ongoing projects all over the world.

In Pakistan, relatives and friends of people on top posts are hired in these foreign-funded projects with huge salaries for incompetent and incapable people. Only a couple of good employees are hired to streamline the project. Rest are all bad references. Salaries can be as high as Rs.15 lac. Rs.4-6 lac is kinda normal salary for consultants who are not even consultants.

Another story time:
Once upon a time, during an Economic Affairs Division’s meeting, a foreign funded project (of over Rs.30 billion) was being discussed when discussion got heated as the project had nothing to show except salaries. EAD asked the provincial government to shut down the project. The relevant minister agreed. But then, top secretaries of the province – including Chairman P&D – declined to close it down. Because he had vested interests.
Story ended without any conclusion. Meri marzi!

Bureaucracy is lucky that no Manto was ever born here. No one spilled the beans. Prostitutes and brothels have a system. Much better. At least they give a service in return of money. Bureaucracy is worse than that. You can’t even differentiate who is who. Who’s the pimp? Who’s for sale? It’s a brothel house in complete chaos, where everyone is running and looking busy, and talking to the clients, yet no client is being served. None! Not even His Highness. But why is the rum gone?

Coming to the conclusion. These politicians need IMF for themselves. After local budget is badly allocated and loan-based projects are messed-up, IMF and other countries are needed.

IMF was usually not needed when Military Generals were directly ruling the country. Zia had billion dollar funded jihad. Musharraf had billion dollar funded anti-jihad. Gillani was the last guy to went to IMF in 2008 for $7.6 billion loan. After that, Pakistan went to IMF in 2018 under Imran. Not taking sides here. PMLN gave a challenging economy to PTI in 2018. Ironically, PTI had given even worse back to PNLN in 2022.

Take this. No, you take this. This is in shambles. The house of cards is falling. Mary had a little lamb. Humpty Dumpty sat on the wall. Reluctant to fall. Came down with the wall. Cards. Are we all drunk?

They’re all screwing you. With the help of bureaucracy. And establishment. And the whole system. And somehow, you are enjoying it. Why?

If you look closely, with your right hand on your heart, you shall know His Highness is the only person for you. But he isn’t standing. He’s sitting. Correctly.

Though this land is pure and it is defined by its religion, but you peek a little closely and this land offers you nothing but hypocrisy. Hypocrisy wrapped with tasbeeh in hand and religion all around.

Women have been ridiculed here in politics since the beginning. Don’t know how and when we inherited that. Ayub didn’t spare Fatima Jinnah when he was politically challenged by a woman.

Benazir was ridiculed when PMLN was enjoying the lap.

Musharraf had worst kind of language for women rape victims.

Listen to some prominent heads of PMLN and you will find them full of sexism and misogyny.

One argument that opponents make against Bilalwal is by objectifying him. Sheikh Rasheed and many others love to make trash jokes to look funny. They call him names and make sexist jokes shamefully, as if being a woman is a sin here. It is by the way, isn’t it?

And that same Bilalwal stood taller than all the loudmouths yesterday when he defended ex-PM’s visit of Russia in US. He left vengeance and hate at home and declined to wash the dirty linen abroad. Touché!

Anyway. Women have been ridiculed and objectified here in politics. In fact, even in wars too as a strategy.

In 1971, women of the East were raped and killed during the war. A prominent strategy of the war was to insult and degrade women of Bangal physically and psychologically. And we never apologized for our sins. We don’t even accept without ifs and buts.

What Imran Khan did today is not only below the belt but disgusting. This defines him. Populism – just like Trump was sexist and misogynist – has its way. Cult never gets it. In fact, the cult cheers on such trash and this is exactly why they were there. It’s more like a stage drama where people are for Punjabi comedy which revolves around filthy jokes.

Imran Khan – being a leader of his party who loves to portray himself as a Caliph – let this be for you:

تسبیح پھری تے دل نہیں پھریا ، کیہ لینا تسبیح پھڑ کے ہُو
علم پڑھیا تے ادب نہ سکھیا،کیہ لینا علم نوں پڑھ کے ہُو

سِر تے ٹوپی تے نیت کھوٹی
لینا کی سِر ٹوپی تَرھ کے؟
تسبیح پھِری پر دِل نہ پھِریا
لینا کی تسبیح ہتھ پَھڑ کے

And for all those coming up with pictures of Khan’s family! Shame on you too! You are more disgusting because you are not getting it even now.