THE recent transformation of Speedo bus stops in Lahore has raised several concerns. What happened to the funds allocated for the previous renovations?

The issue at hand is not with the green or red bus project itself, but with the lack of accountability within the government for the wasteful expenditure of public money. It is no secret that millions of rupees have been spent on the recent modifications.

Who will ensure that public funds are utilised efficiently? It is ironic that salaries of provincial legislators have been incr-eased, and they still fail to address the issue of wasteful expenditure of public funds and the ineffectiveness of local governments. With things being what they are, even the increase in salaries has become nothing but a wasteful expense.

Had the local governments been functional, issues, such as transportation, electricity, cleanliness, and waste management would have been effectively addressed, and public money would have been put to better use. Unfortunately, the absence of functional local govern- ments leaves us with little recourse.

Ayesha Haroon
Lahore

Published in Dawn, March 26th, 2025