Addressing a function at Nowshera, KP Chief Minister Pervaiz Khattak has claimed that the process of positive change has been completed to greater extent and reaming work will be completed in the next government of PTI. He said drastic reforms have been introduced in health, education, and other government and semi government departments and governing system will be made fully transparent with collective efforts.
The most reliable barometer for judging the performance of government and transparency of the governing system is the pulse and feedback taken from the people who do not have strong connections with political elite. People of the province, particularly the talented educated youth, who are being denied the opportunities of employment on merit, speak of the recipe of selective change. They eulogize only one PTI leader, Muhammad Atif Khan, Minster of Primary and Secondary Education for his zero tolerance for violation of merit. On the contrary, merit is violated hundred percent in other government departments because of political appointments. Even the selection procedure in KP Public Service Commission is politically manipulated. That is why there is mixed reaction to the ban imposed by Election Commission of Pakistan on fresh recruitment. The candidates who have given the NTS tests for the appointment of PST, CT and SST teachers are unhappy with the imposition of ban on appointments. But on the other, the candidates aspiring for appointment in other government departments are happy with this ban. The violation of merit in 99 percent government departments explodes the myth of transparency created by the incumbent provincial government.
People are not satisfied with the so called reforms in healthcare, particularly enforcement of MTI Act in teaching hospitals. People who do not have the facility of Insaf Health Card rush to the non-MTI hospitals because the treatment cost in teaching hospitals has become unaffordable. The manifold increase of patients in Nasir Ullah Babar Memorial and Maulvijee Hospitals bears testimony to it. Because of hostile attitude of doctors towards patients in Hayatabad Medical Complex and Lady Reading Hospital, Insaf Health Card Holders do not come for treatment to MTI hospitals. The Insaf Health Card Scheme is financed with bank loans through Insurance Companies and will not be sustainable in the long run. If a wealthy country like the United States could not sustain the Obama Health Care program then how can KP with meager revenue of 60 billion from provincial sources and funds transfer of Rs. 280 billion from federal government sustain these unwise political gimmicks? Billions of bank loans that have been placed at the disposal of Insurance Companies should have been given to government hospital for treatment of patients who hold Insaf Health Cards. The resources of Insurances Companies have been augmented at the expense of taxpayers’ money. The recipe of selective change will be counterproductive and will certainly damage the image of the ruling party in the upcoming general elections.
