There were loud claims by federal and provincial governments about austerity measures and appeals to citizens to meet the challenges of an economy on the verge of collapse. People living on the edge of poverty cannot tolerate the ostentatious lifestyle of the ruling elite funded by taxpayer money. There is growing frustration among the desperate poor, which needs to be addressed. However, those in power don’t seem willing to walk their talk.

It was the government’s choice not to bring powerful pressure groups into the tax net, groups that seem to be favorites of every regime, whether civil or dictatorial. Not even the opposition has raised their voice against the real estate sector, retail/wholesale traders, big landlords, tobacco mafia, sugar and fertilizer cartels, or those involved in smuggling, who have all benefited from government largesse. The burden has fallen on the medium and poor salaried classes or masses impacted by indirect taxation. Austerity gets thrown out the window when government officials are given the latest expensive iPhones or Samsung phones. Hundreds of crores have been allocated for the renovation or relocation of the Commissioner Office in Lahore or providing luxuries in Officers Mess located in GOR or cantonments.

If tax-paying citizens of Pakistan can drive locally assembled cars, why can’t the already pampered bureaucracy, which is responsible for the mess we are in? In the presence of bulletproof vehicles provided to elected or paid elite, there is no justification for a fleet of protocol cars to follow them. When official residences, maintained and furnished by taxpayers, exist in Islamabad and provincial capitals, why should this bankrupt country be burdened with camp offices of the elite? All this abuse must stop.

ALI MALIK TARIQ,

Lahore.