People pay taxes to enable the executive to fund essential services such as healthcare, education and clean drinking water, while also ensuring the security of life, private property and the country’s geographical boundaries. Providing these services is a duty, not a favour. Excessive advertising of such services can instead create a backlash. Citizens can show their appreciation through elections.
Under no circumstances should any constitutional office-holder or their immediate family be involved in real-estate projects built on land designated as reserve or amenity plots, or benefit from state contracts and other commercial activities. The same principle should apply to the paid establishment. Adherence to principles such as avoiding conflicts of interest must be visible. This is a universal principle of good governance and is also consistent with Islamic ethics. Those at the helm must understand that state funds are a trust, not money to be used at their sole discretion.
It is unfortunate that the recent AJK elections displayed a lack of maturity and sensibility among politicians on both sides. AJK remains a disputed territory awaiting a plebiscite under the UN Charter. In the interim, it has a separate autonomous status with its own constitution and parliament. The manner in which buses and laptops purchased from the Punjab budget were offered was unacceptable and unethical. Apart from chairpersons of political parties who do not hold constitutional office, others should not have been involved.
In politics, optics matter. Politicians should present themselves with simplicity and dignity. Their role models should be Fatima Jinnah for women and Allama Iqbal or MAJ for men.
MALIK TARIQ ALI,
Lahore.
