Third time Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif faces challenge to deliver
Shahbaz Sharif, the self-styled Khadim-e-Aala, was elected chief minister of Punjab once again. A third term almost makes Sharif a permanent fixture in the province’s top office, and the one man that has the shape of modern day Punjab’s governance more than any other. Having secured 300 out of 358 notified votes for chief minister, Shahbaz appears to have an uncontested term on his watch and almost unlimited freedom to enact the changes he dreams and speaks of. The joint candidate of the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) and Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q), Mian Mehmoordur Rasheed securing only 34 votes.
Shahbaz has always been known as a man who dreams lofty and his speech after the oath-taking revealed his most ambitious. “We will make Punjab a model province not only in Pakistan, but the world,” Shahbaz promised. He spoke of ending the thana and patwari culture that has so plagued the province, he spoke of poor housing, he spoke of issuing health insurance cards for the poor, he spoke of subsidized solar tubewells from poor peasants, he spoke of a uniform education system, he spoke of ending the electricity crisis plaguing the economy. Not only did he talk the talk, he gave dates: “the patwari culture will end by close of 2014.” A difficult task, but with the computerization of Punjab’s land record already underway, it is not impossible. He said the Ashiana Housing Scheme would be built all over the country and so would the Metro Bus System.
It is assumed that Shahbaz shall realize that some of these matters are outside his mandate, but with the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) securing such a large chunk of the seats, who in the party’s leadership could be criticized for feeling like a king. For a chief minister looking outwards, it is important that he puts his gaze on the serious issues facing Punjab, where the PML-N has ruled for over nine years since 1988. The situation of education remains abysmal with schools without roofs, toilets and drinking water common. The PML-N also continues to be criticized for lopsided development, where parts of Lahore are developed, instead of the entire province. Potable water is not available to hundreds of thousands of people while millions of workers in the province still working in hazardous conditions. In 2012, the question of the implementation of factory safety laws came up again, with two fires in February and Septermber killing 25 workers each. Tame notices were delivered only a couple of days ago to 71 highly dangerous factories in Lahore. The matter must be resolved. And so shall Shahbaz be questioned about keeping key ministries to himself in the last term. This time it is hoped he shall divide the work. The upcoming term shall be a defining one for Shahbaz Sharif who is expected to complete a decade as chief minister Punjab. Hopes are high and so is the rhetoric.
