Express Tribune Editorials 19th March 2025
Posted: Fri Mar 21, 2025 4:11 am
Self-serving governance
Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb has made it loud and clear that no proposals to raise government salaries in the next budget is under consideration. Aurangzeb's categorical announcement came as a bombshell for the government employees, especially those in low grades, who were desperately waiting for the month of June in anticipation of a pay raise.
The rulers tend to lament eroding fiscal space when it comes to adding even peanuts to the salaries of public servants or allocating funds for public welfare, but in the case of serving themselves, they hardly bother about "empty coffers" and never even hesitate joining hands with the opposition.
A case in point is the parliament's approval last month of a bill that more than doubled the salaries of legislators. While politicians in most other countries would be concerned by the optics of giving themselves such unprecedented raises at a time when the rest of the country is drowning due to the economic failures of successive governments, here, not only were the ruling party and its allies fully on board, but almost every opposition party — including those claiming that the current parliament is illegitimate — also signed on.
The rationale behind lucrative pay raises for legislators is the same as for any industry — attracting top talent. But this justification crumbles under scrutiny. If legislators truly believe in equitable compensation, why are they unwilling to extend this principle to all government employees? Even parliamentarians' argument that their total compensation had not gotten a significant bump in a few years falls flat when we consider that apart from the massive pay increase, they also pushed through significant increases in their perks and privileges.
In fact, by making bureaucrats feel undervalued, we risk losing the most skilled individuals to private-sector employers that offer more competitive salaries and benefits. Meanwhile, citizens will continue questioning the integrity of elected officials whose only shared priority is their own financial well-being.
Shattered ceasefire
The latest Israeli military offensive on Gaza has once again plunged the besieged Palestinian enclave into a humanitarian catastrophe. With over 400 dead and countless more feared trapped beneath the rubble, the Israeli assault marks the deadliest escalation since the January ceasefire. Strikes across northern, central and southern Gaza have left entire neighbourhoods in ruins, hospitals overwhelmed, and civilians, including children, among the dead.
Israel claims the renewed bombardment was necessary due to Hamas's refusal to release hostages and its rejection of mediation efforts. But the question remains: can military aggression ever be a sustainable path to peace? The cycle of ceasefires and offensives has long defined Israel's strategy in Gaza, leaving little room for diplomacy or lasting solutions. While Tel Aviv justifies its actions as self-defence, the disproportionate use of force continues to deepen Palestinian suffering, fueling further resentment and ensuring that peace remains elusive. International mediation efforts have repeatedly failed, largely due to the lack of accountability for Israel's actions and the absence of a meaningful resolution that upholds Palestinian rights. The international community's repeated calls for restraint have proven ineffective, exposing the double standards in global diplomacy when it comes to Palestinian lives. In light of these developments, it is imperative to reassess the efficacy of military solutions to what is fundamentally a political problem.
The international community, particularly influential actors like the US, must adopt a more balanced approach that holds all parties accountable for violations of international law. This includes condemning indiscriminate attacks on civilians, whether by state or non-state actors, and supporting mechanisms that promote accountability and justice. Without such a shift, the prospects for peace will remain elusive, and the cycle of violence will inevitably continue.
Counterterror huddle
As the national leadership huddled for chalking out a new anti-terror policy, Army Chief Gen Asim Munir set the tone by declaring that Pakistan should buckle up its governance and pose itself as a hard state to confront the rising fissures of terrorism. He lamented how long the people and the armed forces will continue to render sacrifices like a soft state. He also made it categorically clear that national security takes precedence over all motives of association and allegiance, and it's high time to rise above partisanship to steer the country out of the quagmire of lawlessness and degeneration.
The in-camera meeting of the Parliamentary Committee on National Security, however, was a divisive show as almost all of the opposition stalwarts opted to stay away. Prominent among them were Akhtar Mengal, Mehmood Khan Achakzai, Allama Nasir Abbas, Sahibzada Hamid Raza as well as Salman Akram Raja of PTI, who castigated the government for being non-serious in taking the opposition along in wider national interest. Their consensual stance was that the incarcerated former PM, Imran Khan, should have been on board in forging a broader consensus. Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi was also conspicuous by his absence, whereas K-P CM Ali Amin Gandapur was present in the brain-storming session in his official and political capacity.
Though not much transpired officially as to what would be the new salient features of the nation's response to the rising tide of terrorism, the parliamentary moot stressed the need for a "national consensus to repel terrorism, emphasising strategic and unified political commitment to confront this menace with the full might of the state". It is quite worrisome that the special session went the political way and was wayward in essence. Both the ruling clique and the opposition are squarely to be blamed for holding their petty briefs, and not rising to the occasion of statesmanship. It is painstaking to learn that terror outfits are regrouping and have come up with a united front to further their vested agenda, as the political rejoinder was found to be in the woods.
Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb has made it loud and clear that no proposals to raise government salaries in the next budget is under consideration. Aurangzeb's categorical announcement came as a bombshell for the government employees, especially those in low grades, who were desperately waiting for the month of June in anticipation of a pay raise.
The rulers tend to lament eroding fiscal space when it comes to adding even peanuts to the salaries of public servants or allocating funds for public welfare, but in the case of serving themselves, they hardly bother about "empty coffers" and never even hesitate joining hands with the opposition.
A case in point is the parliament's approval last month of a bill that more than doubled the salaries of legislators. While politicians in most other countries would be concerned by the optics of giving themselves such unprecedented raises at a time when the rest of the country is drowning due to the economic failures of successive governments, here, not only were the ruling party and its allies fully on board, but almost every opposition party — including those claiming that the current parliament is illegitimate — also signed on.
The rationale behind lucrative pay raises for legislators is the same as for any industry — attracting top talent. But this justification crumbles under scrutiny. If legislators truly believe in equitable compensation, why are they unwilling to extend this principle to all government employees? Even parliamentarians' argument that their total compensation had not gotten a significant bump in a few years falls flat when we consider that apart from the massive pay increase, they also pushed through significant increases in their perks and privileges.
In fact, by making bureaucrats feel undervalued, we risk losing the most skilled individuals to private-sector employers that offer more competitive salaries and benefits. Meanwhile, citizens will continue questioning the integrity of elected officials whose only shared priority is their own financial well-being.
Shattered ceasefire
The latest Israeli military offensive on Gaza has once again plunged the besieged Palestinian enclave into a humanitarian catastrophe. With over 400 dead and countless more feared trapped beneath the rubble, the Israeli assault marks the deadliest escalation since the January ceasefire. Strikes across northern, central and southern Gaza have left entire neighbourhoods in ruins, hospitals overwhelmed, and civilians, including children, among the dead.
Israel claims the renewed bombardment was necessary due to Hamas's refusal to release hostages and its rejection of mediation efforts. But the question remains: can military aggression ever be a sustainable path to peace? The cycle of ceasefires and offensives has long defined Israel's strategy in Gaza, leaving little room for diplomacy or lasting solutions. While Tel Aviv justifies its actions as self-defence, the disproportionate use of force continues to deepen Palestinian suffering, fueling further resentment and ensuring that peace remains elusive. International mediation efforts have repeatedly failed, largely due to the lack of accountability for Israel's actions and the absence of a meaningful resolution that upholds Palestinian rights. The international community's repeated calls for restraint have proven ineffective, exposing the double standards in global diplomacy when it comes to Palestinian lives. In light of these developments, it is imperative to reassess the efficacy of military solutions to what is fundamentally a political problem.
The international community, particularly influential actors like the US, must adopt a more balanced approach that holds all parties accountable for violations of international law. This includes condemning indiscriminate attacks on civilians, whether by state or non-state actors, and supporting mechanisms that promote accountability and justice. Without such a shift, the prospects for peace will remain elusive, and the cycle of violence will inevitably continue.
Counterterror huddle
As the national leadership huddled for chalking out a new anti-terror policy, Army Chief Gen Asim Munir set the tone by declaring that Pakistan should buckle up its governance and pose itself as a hard state to confront the rising fissures of terrorism. He lamented how long the people and the armed forces will continue to render sacrifices like a soft state. He also made it categorically clear that national security takes precedence over all motives of association and allegiance, and it's high time to rise above partisanship to steer the country out of the quagmire of lawlessness and degeneration.
The in-camera meeting of the Parliamentary Committee on National Security, however, was a divisive show as almost all of the opposition stalwarts opted to stay away. Prominent among them were Akhtar Mengal, Mehmood Khan Achakzai, Allama Nasir Abbas, Sahibzada Hamid Raza as well as Salman Akram Raja of PTI, who castigated the government for being non-serious in taking the opposition along in wider national interest. Their consensual stance was that the incarcerated former PM, Imran Khan, should have been on board in forging a broader consensus. Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi was also conspicuous by his absence, whereas K-P CM Ali Amin Gandapur was present in the brain-storming session in his official and political capacity.
Though not much transpired officially as to what would be the new salient features of the nation's response to the rising tide of terrorism, the parliamentary moot stressed the need for a "national consensus to repel terrorism, emphasising strategic and unified political commitment to confront this menace with the full might of the state". It is quite worrisome that the special session went the political way and was wayward in essence. Both the ruling clique and the opposition are squarely to be blamed for holding their petty briefs, and not rising to the occasion of statesmanship. It is painstaking to learn that terror outfits are regrouping and have come up with a united front to further their vested agenda, as the political rejoinder was found to be in the woods.