Chaudhry Muhammad Latif
The Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC) is a significant, sincere and feasible effort to invite investment from our friendly countries, which will enhance economic activity on the one hand and at the same time bring close people to people relationship. At present we have ideal friendship with Saudi Arabia, Turkiya and China.
The SIFC is a civil- military joint initiative. Therefore, it has taken rapid decisions in holding several meetings and concluding agreements with friendly nations. From inception it has commenced its activities as a mission, as a mandate for targeted investment.
In its top level five meetings, so far held, mostly attended among others, by the Army Chief in person, who is in fact a kingpin in controlling curse of smuggling, dollars, menace of terrorism, above all he has rightly realize the explosive danger of Afghani nationals hidden in Pakistan, misguided by our enemies, the lurking mechanism of economic devastation by illegal Afghani residents in Pakistan.
It is a bare fact that no investment could be viable without peaceful environment. “One window” and “Under one Roof” are the old epithets well known to bureaucracy whose red tap ism is like an epidemic posing severe impediment against any development or welfare project, beside, corrupt practices. In the current circumstances civil, military, as well as political leadership has been willified within and outside the country. In this scenario the SIFC is an effort to restore and retrieve the economy of the country.
A thorough presentation has been delivered elucidating SIFC’s multifaceted role as a single window platform dedicated to facilitating potential investors from friendly nations.
It has been highlighted in meetings so far held with foreign business dignitaries that Pakistan recognizes the importance of providing attractive tax incentives with concession in revise visa policy through SIFC platform. These measures are aimed at ensuring that investment in Pakistan from friendly countries are not only lucrative but also efficient, contributing to thriving business enterprises. Our most reliable brother country Turkiya has sent delegation to examine the facilities and sureties guaranteed under the auspices of SIFC. Japanese delegation has also visited Pakistan to evaluate the facilities offered by SIFC. Pakistan and Saudi Arabia have signed an agreement to cooperate in IT sector.
Notwithstanding the fertile efforts undertaken under the umbrella of SIFC, it should also be seriously contemplated as to why, after all, such admirable efforts were strangulated and foiled in the past. The PIA, a monopolistic institution, a symbol of shining Pakistan, has been destroyed. Nobody cared that when the institution is going in loss, the facility of free trips local and abroad, to its staff should be stopped. The WAPDA underwent tremendous line losses due to inefficiency of the staff, still nobody stopped free supply of electricity to its staff costing annually 23 billion rupees. Railways going in loss but free ticket to staff is being enjoyed.
Another woeful factor is the princely attitude of the Administrative Civil Service which also enjoys the powers of a majestrate. They are highly decorated, full of prestige and protocol, a symbol of colonial rule. Why did they fail to control smuggling, price hike, hoarding, street crimes etc. They enjoy flag which demands police guards under flag rules. A major chunk of police force is deployed for this service and the public at large is being looted in the open streets.
They occupy, in addition to their cadre posts, ex-cadre post of technical departments which practice not only reserves in injustice to the promotion rights of the technical cadres but also the developments schemes are not completed in time due to their inefficiency and funds are lapsed. It is also a bitter fact the Administrative Service has badly failed to control their lowest tier of service namely the Patwari who is a cause of major part of litigation before the courts.
The head of services in provinces is the chief secretary, who is mostly taken from the Administrative Service and he is mostly inclined to this group and he fails to dispense justice to other group of service. In Azad Kashmir, as an example, the District Management Group has occupied 18 posts of secretary to government out of 23 total posts. The Chief Secretary, under the Rules of Business 1985, is supposed to maintain equilibrium among all classes of civil service. The DMG has also occupied all posts of decision making offices like the Prime Minister, the Chief Secretary and Secretary Services. The deplorable position of AJK government governance is apparent from the fact that constitutional institution of Public Service Commission has been lying vacant for several months.
How commendable projects are sabotaged should also be checked. The government granted increased in salaries upto 30 % with full knowledge that they had no funds to finance liabilities. Now to sabotage the CPEC and SIFC, the government has ordered the freeze of salary and pension of all employees. This decision goes against the interest of bureaucracy which is the only instrument to execute and implement the projects. If they are disgruntled their performance will be impaired.
In the recent past, the NAB sent behind the bars jem officers of the bureaucracy who were later equitted from all charges after going through the turmoil. The NAB crippled the initiative of bureaucracy. Chief Justice (Retired) Saqib Nisar humiliated a District and Sessions Judge, a Revenue Commissioner, A Vice Chancellor was in chains for granting admission to students, he humiliated a Medical Doctor of international fame who had volunteered from USA for service in his homeland Pakistan. These events demoralize the bureaucracy. The results of such events is that only 3 % candidates have qualified the examination of Central Superior Services of Pakistan due to lack of attraction in civil service. Justice demands to withdraw the undue perks and restore the due rights including the morale of bureaucracy.
The writer is Retired Additional Chief Secretary of AJK and Advocate Supreme Court of AJK.