ASHRAF MUMTAZ

The PPP, the party in power in Sindh, has repeatedly lashed out at the PTI government for being responsible for all the thorny problems facing the country. On the other hand, the PTI leaders pin the responsibility for all miseries of the motherland on the PPP and the PML-N, the two major parties that have been alternating each other in power for most of the time in the past decades.

The blame game has confused the common man about the actual role played by each party for the uplift of the country and solution of the problems confronting the common mortals.

In fact, it is part of our national culture to hold the rival(s) responsible for adversities without affording the voters an opportunity to judge their performance. The situation will remain unchanged unless the parties in power speak through their respective performances.

At present, the PTI is in power at the Centre and in three provinces. The PPP has been continuously ruling Sindh for more than 11 years, and still, there are allegations that it has done nothing for the people.

The best solution to the situation is that all provincial governments should submit their hitherto performances to the people.

This means the governments of Punjab, KP, Balochistan and Sindh should share with the nation whatever they have done during the first quarter of their constitutionally mandated term.

They should come up with details of funds spent by them,  important development projects undertaken, jobs given to people, projects in hand,  state of crime in their respective domains,  measures taken to arrest the trend, state of corruption, action taken against the corrupt, especially the important culprits.

Unfortunately, not everyone knows that the governments give jobs to their favourites – on a political basis – not on merit. The nation must know how many jobs were given to people during the past 20 months and who were beneficiaries.

The role played by the legislators should also be highlighted for the information of the voters.

Important development projects completed so far by the provincial government and projects in hand should also be brought to the knowledge of the voters.

The works done by all legislators in their respective constituencies should also be highlighted for the benefit of the voters.

The light should also be shed on the crime situation and the state of crime in all the provinces. The exercise would help voters compare the performance of the incumbent government with its predecessor or other rival setups.

Since corruption is widespread and nothing moves unless the relevant palms are greased, the performance of the anti-corruption departments should also be made public.  The voters must know how many people have been proceeded against so far or are facing inquiries/investigations on what charges.  Once such information is made public, many people may come up with information which helps the government proceed against various elements more effectively.

Other important things concerning a provincial government’s performance should also be included in the data.

If the exercise is done regularly at the end of every quarter term  it would become easier for the voters to decide what each legislator did for the constituency and whether he/she should be reelected.