LAHORE – A billionaire businessman has something for the new government of Pakistan that could bring radical changes in the performance of the government officials.
Presenting his own formula to end corruption in the South Asian country, Malik Riaz Hussain listed a number of key principles which thousands of workers of Bahria Town are bound to follow.
“We have shaped an effective system of good governance and exemplary management in Bahria Town,” said the founder and chairman of the largest privately held real estate development company in Asia.
In a statement on Wednesday, he claimed that the public complaints would be reduced to half if these rules (mentioned below) are implemented in the government offices.
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There should be no newspaper at the workplace.
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There should be a TV room (common room) where the officers can enjoy tea and read newspapers.
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Mobile phone should be banned inside the government offices.
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Meeting with relatives or friends should not be allowed during office timings.
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Each officer should have only one official vehicle with fixed expenditure. Every efficient officer should get incentives.
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The head of each office should be held responsible for the workers’ attendance. There should also be deduction in the wages of those who remain absent.
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Prize bonds should be documented and their open sale be stopped.
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Corruption will not be eliminated till the government stops printing the Rs5,000 note, and prize bonds for Rs10,000 and Rs25,000.
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Cash dealings should be stopped to root out corruption.
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There is a dire need of bringing reforms in Police, Federal Board of Revenue (FBR), and Security and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP). An international standard like that in other countries should be adopted in these institutions.
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If Pakistan has to progress, then a development authority like Dubai’s Development Authority should be formed, having control over Wapda, Sui Gas, and PTCL.
Malik Riaz, who used to be an ordinary clerk, is one of the richest people in the country. The 63-year-old businessman was born to a contractor and after his father suffered heavy losses in business, Riaz, who had only done his matriculation then, was forced to work as a clerk. He later worked as a low-key contractor in the military for some time 20 years ago before founding Bahria Town.
The man has done wonders for the Pakistani middle class, providing them high quality residential facilities at a much lower cost.
His organisation arranges medical treatment of hundreds of poor patients, besides providing education to thousands of children in the schools run under its aegis. Bahria Town also caters free food to thousands of poor people every day.
His critics say Malik’s noble deeds are a smokescreen to hide his actual malpractices.
