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.
