Pakistan is a developing country where dire need for austerity measures in every sphere of national life cannot be over-emphasized ensuring every penny is spent for the specific purpose it is meant for. Islamic teachings also tell us to shun lavish spending in public and private sectors and adopt adequate measures for ensuring austerity and simplicity.
Federal and provincial governments following presentation, discussion and approval of the federal and provincial budgets, issue a number of circulars for appropriate implementation of the budgetary measures. These circulars are topped by a circular enlisting austerity measures by all government functionaries.
Participants of TV channel talk shows, irrespective of their political affiliations, must ensure they come fully prepared on the possible topics or subjects which are likely to be dilated upon in the discussion so as not to cut a sorry figure by putting forward wrong facts and figures
Over the years these austerity measures continue to be enlisted in the circulars as an annual ritual. Once the circulars are issued, nobody bothers to see that these measures are strictly followed by all down the line also. This scribe has seen these austerity measures circulars from time to time as a professional journalist. Austerity measures normally are topped by prohibition of proceeding abroad for treatment at government expense for such diseases and ailments for which adequate facilities and provisions are available within the country, no procurement of new official cars and other luxurious items. But these are only meant for being put in the official files concerned.
Austerity measures circular issued following the Federal Budget for financial year 2020-21 is pretty short one. It bans purchase of new cars and motor cycles for official use and also enjoins using paper on both sides to ensure maximum use of official stationery.
But there are also no restrictions whatsoever on additional austerity measures by anyone treading the corridors of power at the national and provincial levels.
One such instance is none else but that of PTI Chairman/Prime Minister Imran Khan who coming into power after the 2018 general election had vowed to set an example of austerity in the utilization of public funds by the Prime Minister’s House and the Prime Minister’s Office.
The Prime Minister has ever since then been keeping his word as strictly as possible, fulfilling his promises and ensuring the expenditures are reduced to the maximum possible on both, thus saving the precious public money and also setting an appreciable and praiseworthy example for all the government functionaries down the line.
The incumbent PM lives in his own bungalow and has no camp offices anywhere, unlike the previous rulers, and has taken measures to adopt austerity measures wherever possible so that the money thus saved is utilized for some purposeful purposes aiming at welfare and well-being of the masses at large.
This scribe would like to mention why this subject has been chosen, ahead of the upcoming federal and provincial budgets. Pakistan had its first TV channel in the public sector in 1964 which had complete monopoly for over three and half decades when the first private-sector channel came into existence at the turn of the new century.
Following scientific, technological and information technology developments, innovations and inventions and increasing demand for the electronic media, there has been virtually mushroom growth during the last two decades.
Electronic media both in public and private sectors is functioning round the clock, and their programmes can easily be broadly be divided into dramas, entertainment, news, crime, violence, discussions and debates mostly about political developments and economic situations. These discussions generally take place in the form of talk shows which are generally participated in by political leaders from ruling and opposition parties, economic experts, businessmen and leaders from other concerned quarters.
And, in a recent talk show by a private sector channel, it was purposefully or unintentionally mentioned by the participants that the expenses of the PM Office had increased in the allocated budgetary provisions during the last two financial years 2018-19 and 2019-20 in contradiction to the austerity measures. Such presentation of facts and figures by the participants without quoting the official facts and figures in a wrong manner, just when every information can easily be obtained from websites of the federal ministries and divisions and also by surfing the Internet, a facility available in every household.
This prompted this scribe to search for the actual facts and figures from the Finance Ministry sources and also the budget documents for the last two financial years as the information so poured out wrongly was not easily swallowed. Hence this article based on the information from the available quarters concerned.
It may been mentioned here putting the actual position before the readers that as a matter of fact the expenditures of the Prime Minister’s Office had actually been reduced quite considerably as promised by the PM .
As per budgetary provisions, expenditure relating to employees had increased slightly owing to the annual increments, which is the basic right of every government functionary and cannot be denied, and operating expenses on the other had come down from Rs 218 million to Rs 46 million, indicating a huge cut.
Similarly, saving the readers from mention of budgetary facts and figures, expenditures under heads of Entertainment and Gifts, Miscellaneous Expenditure, Wages of Household Servants, Discretionary Grants and Prime Minister’s Estate Garden Establishment had shown reduction in varying figures, forcefully indicating that the Prime Minister is strictly adhering to his commitment and vision of austerity.
Facts and figures which this scribe got from official quarters just repudiate as incorrect the data which was presented by the participants in the talk show as Prime Minister Imran Khan is sincerely and strictly keeping his word, ensuring that expenditures of the PM Office are kept on the lower side possible and minimum burden is placed on the exchequer .In doing so continuously, the PM as not only kept his word but also setting an example for all other political leaders as well as government functionaries to reduce avoidable, non-essential and wasteful expenditures without compromising on their working and performance.
Participants of TV channel talk shows, irrespective of their political affiliations, must ensure they come fully prepared on the possible topics or subjects which are likely to be dilated upon in the discussion so as not to cut a sorry figure by putting forward wrong facts and figures.
