Fair warning: Long read, potentially rubbish
The following post is based on my
observations and interactions with individuals ever since the
Musharaf regime ended. They may be some generalizations and perhaps
given the narrow sample of people on whose comments a lot of the
discussion below is based, the discussion may not neatly fit reality
or apply to a majority of people. I am hoping someone would comment
on any irregularity or inconsistency with the arguments below for
they may have better insight then myself. This is quite a long post,
and it may seem abit incomplete at the end, I hope to extend the
argument later.
The rallying cry
for Imran Khan is justice. For his supporters and detractors alike,
the state of, or the perception of the increase in corruption under
the Zardari is ubiquitous.
For a lot of people
since 2008, the decline in the national economy is linked with an increase in corruption. But then who is to say corruption did not
dominate transactions prior to 2008? Is it that the new, post 9/11
middle class that were able to increase there consumption of consumer
goods under the Musharaf regime have suffered the most post 2008?
Easy money
For a lot of people
the 2000s saw an increase in wealth and consumption. 2 photocopies of
your ID card could get you a car on lease. You could pay Rs. 20,000
to stage a “theft” or “accident” of your car, which on lease
was also insured (in the examples I am aware of, peoples cars would
mysteriously reappear stripped of anything valuable on Kahuta road in
Islamabad/Rawalpindi). Contacts in the bank and/or the insurance
company would do their trick. The car would be written off, new car
would be presented, everyone’s happy.
Alot of wealth was
generated through the development of urban property during the
Musharaf era. Advertisements filled newspapers, people lined up
outside banks to submit forms, a wink and a nudge and the right
“file” could be yours in the morning, and given the rabid
speculation by nightfall you could sell of the same “file” for a
tidy profit. With some more winks and nudges, people were able to
choose ideal plots. The best example I know off are people who bought
plots in Bahria Town and DHA Islamabad, who knew people in these
organizations or in the primary developer, HRL who knew which plots
were allocated on filled in and flattened earth and which plots were
on the original surface. Many of the plots in DHA Phase 1, facing the
Soan river especially, that were earth filled and flattened out,
later sank. Yes, the houses literally sank!
The other example
was when CDA launched the sector I-15 plots and apartment ballot and
people called friends working in individual banks to get forms
submitted and completed on time, while asking them to “go slow”
on other peoples applications. Suffice to say, several phone calls
were also made to friends fathers who were CDA board members,
political figures or high ranking Army officers, surely someone would
pay out.
They were people
who were importing second hand cars and selling them off. I forget
the model of the exact Tayota car which was initially imported with a
waived tariff for disabled drivers, which then led to a flood of
people getting fake medical reports declaring themselves disabled.
They of course then sold off the same car at a premium.
Now the thing is,
and I am sure readers of this post from Pakistan would have heard
similar stories in one form or the other from the Musharaf years,
that all these cases are clearly examples of corruption!
What I find
particularly frustrating today is, that the same people who were able
to not only enjoy a marked increase in consumption, but also
accumulated wealth during this period, are now on the vanguard
complaining about corruption under Zardari.
Is it that
corruption has increased over the past 45 months as we are made to believe, or is it that the
people who enjoyed the benefits of corrupt actions previously no
longer can do so or have to pay a higher price to arrive at the same
results?
The bubble burst
It doesnt help that
the speculative bubble that was the Pakistani property boom,
unsurprisingly collapsed. All those multi-billion dollar, in
partnership with this and that UAE property developer went down the
toilet as the global property boom slumped, and Dubai itself went
bankrupt. The highly liquid market of files dried up. Quick money
through property and of course the stock market (should have
mentioned earlier) came to an end. .
What I suspect is
that a lot of people who are unhappy with the current government dont
really want justice or an end to corruption. They are looking for a
return to the past.
This property boom,
egged on in large part by the military run DHA, led to a virtuous
cycle, where rising prices fuelled increased development. It was the
rule of a military dictator that allowed a lot of the expansion into
suburban areas without due and legal process that fuelled this boom.
However, people dont view this as corruption, they see this as
“nation building”.
The Musharaf era
“boom” if you want to call it that, lead to a period of “growth”
which appeared highly tangible. People could “see” the progress.
They could see the mobile phones in their hands, the many many
channels on cable, the TV, Fridge, Refrigerator etc, that had been
purchased conveniently in instalments, while a piece of paper
declaring future possession of a piece of land, gained in value over
weeks and months while sitting ideally. The corruption, the winks and
nudges that facilitated this bomb in consumption is viewed as
beneficial, thus considered desirable. Even if its genesis is plagued
by dubious corrupt actions.
Whether the PPP and
Zardari were handed a poor set of cards; highly tangible examples of
state failure, electricity, gas, law and order etc, is debatable.
People argue that 45 months into government Zardari cant blame
Musharaf for today’s problems. Add, the Army, media, judges issues,
global economic crisis, rising commodity prices etc to the mix, and
even a pretty competent government would have struggled to deal with
things.
Corruption of a higher order
So what does this
have to do with anti-corruption rhetoric today and Imran Khan? Well
for one, I am very sceptical about what exactly we mean by reducing
corruption that has plagued us. To me, it appears more an attempt to
redistribute the winners and losers. I may be wrong, but for a lot of
PTI supporters, the Musharaf regime may be despised for cozying up
with America, but the economic “vision” and “progress” of
that period is still something that they aspire to.
People are more
offended by the corrupt practices of an underpaid, working 12 hours a
day young cop who may palm Rs. 1000, but have no qualms picking up
the phone to further there cause. This more subtle, sophisticated
form of corruption, which is also known as networking or calling in a
favour is part and parcel of how the upper middle class functions the
world over. These small “benefits” however, translate into long
terms financial gains. The few thousands paid to your KESC
electrician, policeman or SNGPL gas worker pales in comparisons to
the financial gains of those in power.
My contention is
that those in power and influence are aspiring for a future that is a
rehash of the past. Justice and policies touted to end corruption
will not distort their own ability to influence transactions.
However, these same policies which hope to end corruption will effect
small rent seekers thus reducing the cost of those in power and allow
them to get on with their business. Not only do I think that Imran
Khan's, PTI's or any political parties rhetoric of ending corruption
is a sham, the people who rally for this cause are selective in their
application and given that their position in the social hierarchy
will remain unchanged. At worst, those below them will be pushed down
further and put in their place.
Disappointment
I believe that the political noise which targets corruption is all well and good, and probably in most cases well intentioned. However, the way the PTI especially, has made it what appears a one point, end game of his politics does not address the deep divisions in our society which allow those with greater influence, resources and power to work what ever law, system or circumstance to their benefit.
To reduce corruption, in word and in spirit, the PTI needs to evolve beyond corruption to actually reduce it. Otherwise, I fear, Imran Khan with all his well intensions is unknowingly doing nothing more than rearranging the winners and losers, to bring back the good times.
The good times (read: Musharaf rule 2004-2007)? Yes, the time when people (urban, middle class) thought things in Pakistan were on the up, corruption was lower, so that "ideal" state is somehow emulating. After all, if you are aged 20-50, middle class and urban, in the past 30 years, nothing in terms of consumption possibilities beats the Musharaf years. That has captured the imaginations of many as what has been lost since Zardari has come into power.
The car in question, I believe, was the Toyota Belta, usually imported from Japan. I think the disabled person import tariff waiver fraud is still continuing.
ReplyDeleteWould say this, you should have titled this along the lines of change, revolutionary crowd and corruption etc etc, not Imran per se.
In a way (large caveats applied), this situation is like the Russian urban middle class, Muscovites especially, turning on the person that oversaw their consumption and wealth rise. Here they're rising against the lack of previous money minting opportunities in a way. There is disappointment and gloom, besides the general hate towards pols.
Yes, I teach some students who are from Moscow, and as they have been studying in London, over this term, they cant understand the speed with which alot of their friends have turned against Putin.
ReplyDeleteI put Imran in, because the examples I gave involved people who are now diehard PTI supporters. But what I do find frustrating about this revolution, how revolutionary it is. I dont find anything that Imran says "revolutionary" in anyway at all.
Well said. Very few people realize that Musharraf's seemingly healthy policies crippled the country in the long run. I hope more people would speak about the traitor!
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