C O L U M N S

How I wish Richard Holbrooke was there. President Obama’s special emissary on ‘Af-Pak’ could have picked a thing or two from the charity catwalk on a sultry evening at Bal Harbour Mall in Miami. Holbrooke could then be a better judge of charities to choose from in Pakistan bidding for US money.

The dollar taps as we all know by now will be turned on once the Kerry-Lugar Bill is put into action. Billions are expected to flow. The sixty-eight-year-old American diplomat is currently processing proposals from ‘social workers’ desirous of American charity to launch non-governmental organisations across Pakistan. According to the chatter, we hear that some well-heeled begums, wives of politicians, bureaucrats and influentials are in the run for the money. They must have hired experts to spoof up their resumes making them look paragons of social work and servants of humanity. But these dames are up against American NGOs otherwise known as the 'Beltway Bandits.'



These money-guzzling behemoths employ expensive lobbyists in Washington to convince the policy makers to dole them the money. Well-informed sources tell me that two federal secretaries in Islamabad are pushing for a share in the loot. One of them is offering his services and the other is pitching his son to work for these US charities. 'Many are visiting and huddling with consultants,' he says. 'Even venerable people like (who will remain nameless) are sucking up to minor USAID employees.'

Finance Minister Shaukat Tarin has warned of money meant for Pakistan never reaching Islamabad. Naught for nothing then are our officials trying to latch themselves with American NGOs supposedly working for the betterment of Pakistanis. 'Sadly no one in the media has picked it up,' complains Nadeemul Haque, former head of the Pakistan Institute of Development Economists (PIDE) and currently an advisor at IMF (International Monetary Fund.) 'I feel particularly sad since I have been raising this subject for years. Of the 1.2 billion that the USAID has given to the NGOs, only about 20 are Pakistani NGOs like the Khushali Bank and HEC (Higher Education Commission.) The rest are all awarded to American firms that none of us know anything about. Even though some of these firms have been in Pakistan for years, we still do not know of them or hear of their consultants or even see them.'


Dr Haque has posted details of where the USAID funds have gone and who are the recipients on his blog ‘Development 2.0.’

'What are these US firms doing? How are they affecting our policy? What is the quality of their consultants? Who makes up projects with fancy titles like ‘Empower Pakistan’? Where are these projects reviewed? What Pakistani intellect is brought to bear on these projects?' questions Dr Haque. 'Our people will only get crumbs after ‘Beltway Bandits’ have had their feeding frenzy,' he tells me.

If Holbrooke is sincere in wanting to help underprivileged Pakistanis facing poverty, unemployment, disease, malnutrition and untold misery, then let me direct him to Miami’s fashion parade celebrating fabulous style and philanthropic contributions of ten outstanding Miami women. Sponsored by Tiffany and Elle magazine, these ten fashion plates turned philanthropists catwalked wearing fabulous jewellery and couture to benefit their particular charities and ending up earning lots of money from the fashion show.

Richard Holbrooke should use his discretion and distribute all his largesse to Pakistani NGOs, instead of the American. But he must make sure that these NGOs generate funds themselves (like the 10 women above) instead of swallowing up the money on high-end offices, plush furniture, expensive staff, SUVs (similar to the vulgar vehicles plying Islamabad roads with UN written all across) and unlimited expense accounts.

Before we return to Prada, Armani and Versace, amply manifest at the fashion show, a magazine called Boca Life lists 95 names in 'Who’s Who in charity and the Arts.' The list has been published each year for the last 21 years honouring philanthropists of Florida — men and women. These people collect funds, motivate volunteers, help charities that they have been supporting for years.

The charities range from the American Heart Association to Red Cross; from museum art to art and culture centres; from public libraries to housing solutions; from boys and girls clubs to children’s cancer caring, diagnostic and treatment centres; from mental health to museum for discovery and science. The range of charities that these wonderful people run is mind boggling.

Will a day ever come when Pakistani philanthropists will generate enough money for charities and not turn to USAID?