‘Katcha’ troubles
DESPITE months of ‘action’, yet another state-sponsored operation to rein in the lawless elements who rule large swathes of the riverine areas of upper Sindh and lower Punjab has failed to bring peace to these troubled lands. Gangs of dacoits continue to brazenly challenge the state, perhaps emboldened by the fact that they seem better equipped and more determined than the law-enforcement personnel sent in to establish the state’s writ. The ongoing operation, as countless others before it, seems to be meandering, and the authorities have very little to show for the men, money and ammunition they have expended in what increasingly looks like an aimless campaign.
It is particularly concerning that the katcha gangs have continued to target the minority Hindu communities that live in the affected areas with impunity, abducting both young and old, rich and poor, for ransom. A protest has been ongoing in Kashmore for several days to highlight the matter. According to a local leader, around 40 citizens have been kidnapped over the past few months. On Sunday, large protests were also held in several cities, including Karachi, against increasing incidents of robberies and abductions in the katcha areas, with citizens inviting the army to intervene in the katcha operation. With anecdotal accounts suggesting that powerful elements patronise these dangerous gangs, it seems obvious why the problem refuses to go away. Compared to the alacrity with which the police forces of both provinces have cracked down on unarmed protesters in urban areas, their helplessness when going up against actual, hardened criminals presents a rather unflattering assessment of their capabilities as professionals and strategic planners. The authorities must stop wasting public resources and give the operation more attention. With the economic situation turning dire, vulnerable communities cannot continue to be left to the wolves. At the very least, the security of life and property must be ensured in these testing times.
Published in Dawn, September 6th, 2023
Denied health cover
THE government must probe the reasons and factors behind the denial of free medical treatment to over 80pc of almost 105,000 patients, who visited district headquarters hospitals across Punjab between July 1 and July 25, under the Sehat Sahulat Programme. Those who could not have free treatment included pregnant women, as well as people requiring heart and other surgeries, dialysis and intensive care. A new report puts the opportunity cost of the refusal of treatment under the universal insurance programme for such a large number of patients visiting DHQ hospitals at Rs9.2bn on an annualised basis. The loss incurred over the 25 days was estimated at Rs645m. It is difficult to say at this stage if the ‘denial’ of the facility was wilful or whether the patients were turned away by these hospitals due to lack of equipment, space, medicines, doctors and other facilities. By ascertaining the reasons, the data will help the authorities plan the health budget in a better way to provide the missing facilities at DHQ hospitals to fill gaps where they exist.
Unless the real factors are investigated, most people will end up assuming that patients are being discouraged deliberately as the caretaker set-up has on a few occasions indicated its plans to fully or partially roll back the scheme because of political reasons. It is already reported to have excluded from the facility households earning above Rs65,000 a month, and patients preferring private hospitals for treatment are now required to pay 30pc of the cost of their hospitalisation and procedures upfront. Private hospitals were included in the programme owing to large gaps in the public healthcare infrastructure. Indeed, there have been reports of hospitals in the private sector misusing the facility and charging very high rates. But it should be the responsibility of the insurer to keep a check on them as is done all over the world. Punishing the people is no solution. Proper healthcare is the universal right of all individuals and communities. No one should have to suffer financial hardship to access medical treatment when they need it. It is well-documented that healthcare expenditures in Pakistan are responsible for aggravating economic shock in poor to middle-income families. The Sehat Sahulat initiative is just one step towards progress in increasing public access to better healthcare and reducing financial hardship caused by its costs.
Published in Dawn, September 6th, 2023
Unreal expectations
THOUGH the nation is going through a painful cost-of-living crisis, the civilian and military leaderships are of the view that better days are just around the corner.
They base their optimism on the hope that our friends in the Gulf are ready to pour in tens of billions of dollars into Pakistan in the shape of deposits as well as investments.
While speaking on Monday, interim Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar said that Saudi Arabia and other Middle Eastern states were likely to invest $25bn in the country over the next two to five years. Similar comments were reportedly made by the army chief while meeting business tycoons in Karachi recently.
As reported, the COAS told businessmen he had asked the Saudis and Emiratis to deposit $10bn each to help shore up Pakistan’s dwindling foreign exchange reserves. Moreover, the army chief is reported to have said that between $75bn-100bn could be invested in the country by the Gulf states.
While Pakistan needs all the investment it can get, we must ask how realistic these projections are.
For example, the country went through an excruciating period of uncertainty — when default seemed to be staring us in the face —before the IMF approved a mere $1.2bn in July, the first tranche of a $3bn bailout.
What guarantee do we have that our friends and benefactors will be willing to shower us with dollars — amounts much larger than the bailout — when we were made to jump through multiple hoops for $1.2bn?
The fact is that even our trusted partners, including the Gulf states and China, sent not-so-subtle messages that unless we comply with IMF demands, they were unlikely to help. Quite clearly, the age of the free lunch is over.
The international community, including our traditional allies, expects us to address the fundamentals of our sputtering economy, as well as political instability, before they put more money into Pakistan. Mr Kakar had also alluded to this, when he mentioned that reforms were needed in taxation and the power sector.
Questions also arise about the caretakers’ intentions — their long-term plans are puzzling in view of their constitutionally limited stay. The interim set-up should only focus on keeping the economy stable, ensure timely polls, and then call it a day.
Long-term economic policymaking is the responsibility of the next elected government, that should not feel the need to rely on input from the security establishment.
Without doubt, this country has ample resources and a hardworking populace. Yet unless we fix our fundamentals — taxing the untaxed, curbing corruption, reining in wasteful spending — this potential will remain unutilised.
Moreover, those who put money in Pakistan will expect decent returns on their investments, which can only be achieved through the rule of law, political stability and democratic continuity.
Published in Dawn, September 6th, 2023