Imran’s reform agenda for KPK

Imran Khan has announced some basic reforms in the KPK on last Monday which are going to be of extreme benefit for the common man. These reforms, besides ensuring good governance, would also empower the local bodies. His decision to stop forthwith the allocation of crore of rupees every year to the MPAs for carrying out developmental activities in their respective constituencies and instead placing this money at the disposal of newly elected local bodies is a revolutionary step which has been appreciated by the common man. During Zia’s time this system was introduced and through it political loyalities of the legislators used to be bought . Only half of this money was actually spent by them on the developmental work while the other half went into their pockets. The fact of the matter is that the MPAs are supposed to do only legislative work for the betterment of their electorate. Building roads and attending to the civic needs of the people is none of their business. It would be interesting to see whether or not other provincial governments as well as federal government too are going to take a leaf out of Imran’s book on this score and stop this practice in their domains.
Discretionary funds at the disposal of CM and other ministers is another curse . The public office holders have been misusing them with rare abandon. Imran deserves credit for doing away with them. also. Would the prime minister, the governors and CMs of other province follow suit also?
In this country vacancies in the government departments are sold, particularly in the lower echelon. . Imran has done well to declare that henceforth the aspirants to these jobs would have to first clear the National Testing Service ‘test for getting a job. This practice, if implemented in letter and spirit would ensure recruitment in government offices on merit rather than on any other consideration.
POSTSCRIPT:Day after tomorrow Pakistan is to play its third test match against England at Birmingham. Hopefully, our players would not repeat the mistakes committed by them in the second test at Manchester . There is no reason to lose heart. If they could humble England at Lords, they are fully capable of repeating the history in the remaining two test matches also.