Scale down the govt

The recent oil crisis has seriously strained economy of the country. Massive expenditure cuts are required to keep afloat. Prioritization plays an important role in tiding over the bad times. It has been reported that the daily expense of running the federal government is around Rs 50 billion, which is equal to the petroleum subsidy announced by the Prime Minister (PM). While the informal sector is the backbone of our economy, the government is a big drag which needs to be drastically curtailed. To keep the wheels turning people must be facilitated.

The subsidy is well deserved however the luxury of running Islamabad cannot continue till the situation eases. The air-conditioned secretariats should be scaled down to be manned by a skeleton staff for public interaction only like the one-window operation of LDA (Lahore Development Authority) and everyone else should work from home. Target should be to bring this daily public drain down to around Rs10 billion. Official cars and petrol allowances should be withdrawn as there will be reduced need to travel for the officials and staff. The energy bills will also come down. Meetings can be arranged online.

Several countries of the world are coping with the crisis as necessitated. In Australia, free public transport approach has been adopted whereas; other countries have reduced fares of their public transport system to encourage its use. Pedal power is back. Use of bicycles has increased manifold the world over. Electric Vehicles (EVs) for two and four wheelers are being used. Support infra-structure needs to be developed for rapid adoption of this means of transportation. Solar panels should be used for charging to cut down the energy bill. Education is our future, which should not be tempered. People and the coming generations must be facilitated not burdened with the astronomical fuel bills. It is time to cut down the least performing segment of society. The challenge, claims and publicity of good governance can wait till better times. The axe must swing for performance and productivity to cut down the unnecessary fat burden.

Historically speaking, the inherited non-performing state apparatus in the country has been a luxury not necessity. Luxuries are short lived and the party usually comes to an end but not in the land of the pure. The people of Pakistan must come first. There must be a public oversight of all state expenses. The elected legislature has a major role in protecting public interests which has been missing. There must be complete transparency in financial matters. As a favoured nation, if availability of fuel is not an issue, the details of the financial transactions must be openly shared. There has been an additional increase in fuel costs, which calls for an open debate in the parliament. Exploitation must be curbed at all costs. Are the oil companies benefitting from these weekly increases? Recently, the sugar barons have again asked for permission to export surplus sugar. The same pattern is repeated every year to jack up the prices of the product. The cartel is too powerful to be contained. Relief to the public is not on the cards.

The Islamic Republic of Pakistan (IRP) needs a major course correction. In the words of President Ronald Reagan, “No government is the best government”. People must be nurtured and facilitated not contained and overburdened by a non-performing state apparatus. Containment of the masses is always self-defeating. Common interest has become uncommon in our times.

In the present scenario most Pakistanis are at the edge, struggling to survive. Any straw can break the camel’s back. Sanity must prevail to steer the country in the right direction before it’s too late. Fruits of good diplomacy should be passed on to the public instead of the oil companies. For the nation, it is a wake-up call to look inwards for the fulfillment of basic needs. Energy needs must be affordable and sustainable for which domestic resources should be developed. In the year 1952 it was Sui gas while now the focus should shift to Thar Coal to cover the nation’s energy needs. Burdening the already overburdened is not the right approach. Recent fuel increases must be withdrawn. Rhetoric alone is not enough, on the ground action is needed to facilitate the public at the pump; the pomp and show is not workable and should be done away with. Austerity not luxury at public expense is the way forward. Scaling down of the government is the most viable option.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2026