Articles of the year 2020
Published on December 19th, 2020
Sindh boasts the largest number of ghost schools, and the largest number of ghost hospitals, the largest number deaths due to snake bites and the largest number deaths due to dog bites.
The many fatalities are caused by incompetence and political malfeasance, as most of the funds are misappropriated so that the bite victims remain untreated and eventually die a very painful death.
The Bhuttos have been in power since 1970, and the decline is palpably visible. The ability to encase political opportunity is glaringly obvious.
Even the Coronavirus has been milked. While the Lockdown was announced in Karachi, the de facto Chief Adeel let it be known in the market that for two “khoka” you could run your factory.
Every shop in Karachi was made an offer whereby they could remain open regardless of the risk to the people.
This callous indifference to the state of the people would be shocking but in Sindh it is the will of Allah, and the vote is theirs. That too is destiny.
The Federal Government is trying to establish a new city in Karachi. Perhaps a careful look at Karachi would show that huge areas are under utilised especially industries lying closed.
The power production and distribution network is desperately in need of reform. The Reverse Osmosis (RO) plants spread throughout Sindh are not functioning.
Similarly the desalination plant at the DHA beach, a joint venture between Siemens the German giant and DHA never got off the ground because of financial irregularities.
This can be easily restarted knowing the Siemens reputation is on the line let alone the German reputation.
However first the Zardari menace must be removed. This stranglehold on Karachi must be removed.
The MQM has been removed, but the Zardari menace remains.
Unless the criminal cases are brought to close Karachi will remain a paralysed area.
Karachi was a Dubai, but was consumed by lawlessness of a PPP-MQM combine.
The city of Karachi should be reborn after the Zardari effect is removed. Only then can Karachi flourish.
The old Karachites have the business skill, and the management expertise, They need to get away from the political mafia of Zardari.
Then Karachi will generate its own power at affordable rates and water. It is being strangled by the 12 IPPs and the Zardari group.
The 23 sugar mills owned by Zardari would collapse overnight if the illegal subsidies doled out were stopped.
Sindh could then revert to cotton a far more lucrative crop, more productive and with less water consumption.
However the Zardari problem must be resolved. Karachi has to be taken back to the pre ZAB days.
An aspect that has been ignored is the shipping industry the oldest in Karachi till it was nationalised by Bhutto.
It could never restart because of the huge capital requirements. The government-run PNSC could never compete with the private sector and was doomed to fail.
These are the areas that can bring the lustre back to Karachi. Another industry that has thrived inspire of Zardari, is banking.
Mainly due to its size, and the paper trail that is indelible, and will no doubt bring the downfall of the Zardari / Majeed combine.
Industry can only succeed with financial independence, not if it is subject to a government largesse, for as soon as this subsidy is withdrawn it is doomed to collapse as the core itself is rotten,
However the spin off has been the production of two generations of superb, world class bankers and many Pakistani bankers can be found in middle and upper level management all over the world.
The Pakistani banker is well appreciated and respected, surviving in spite of the Zardari Sharif stigma! This is mainly due to the strict accounting that is the basis of any banking.
An example was Shaukat Aziz who rose to the highest level at Citi Bank in the US, a remarkable achievement for a Pakistani in a notoriously WASP environment.
Pakistani bankers thrive because of their diligence which is a quality in sharp contrast to the political gangsterism visible.
Banking is a no nonsense cut and dried occupation which must in essence be honest to remain in business.
That is why the Habibs have lasted so long even after being nationalised they bounced back and are leaders in banking again.
So the success of Pakistanis in banking throughout the world is a tribute to their honesty and their diligence.
A vital part of the Pakistani success which has till now been unrecognised.
Only the Jews are as well known for scrupulous financial ethics as are the Pakistanis hence their success as banking professionals.
That is the reason our bankers are in demand all over the world. Pakistan has suffered its corrupt reputation due to the politicians but banking shows that the politicians were an aberration and not the norm.