Can he deliver what he is capable of?
The newly sworn in government of the PML-N, the party which has been in power at the centre twice before, must know it well how hard it is to run a government. There are demands from every corner, some logical and some political, to do this or that. However, finding the perfect balance between demands and service delivery is what requires greater political acumen and higher mental calibre to not understand the issues, but also relate to them and find properly practicable solutions. It is situations like these where experienced politicians can deliver more than a novice one.
The appointment of the new Punjab Governor, Mohammad Sarwar, a UK-based Pakistani businessman, in this regard can be hailed as a positive. Being an MP in the British Parliament, he has vast experience of working in the public and political domains. Reportedly, he also helped PML-N head honcho Nawaz Sharif select candidates for certain constituencies before the run up to the elections in May. That step may have been done in the service of a friend, but his decision of renouncing the British citizenship, as is required under Pakistani law from public office holders, is certainly speaks volumes of his good intentions. Even though the post of a governor has become only symbolic one after the 18th amendment to the constitution, his focus on education sector in the province, which badly needs initiatives in the sector as there is no worthwhile incentive for students to attend higher education institutions, might just prove the proverbial push we need to move forward in the field. His British standing may also help in bringing foreign investment in the country, for he was a successful businessman in the UK before his arrival in Lahore. Though he is not expected to work miracles, he is expected to set new traditions for the post of the governor.
Being a titular head of a province, the governor doesn’t wield much power though his input on various issues can be useful, and him being a representative of the federation and the president, his say carries weight if it is done in a proper fashion. One may argue that former Governor Salmaan Taseer was a controversial person, one cannot however deny that he was an active politician and raised his voice over every issue he thought might affect the public. One would expect the new governor to be nothing short of an active member of the government, howsoever little role he can play. That way the PML-N might just utilise his skills and benefit from his experience in the parliamentary political norms and law making. That way he would prove that the decision to appoint him governor was not based on favouritism, returning the favour, or any political expediency.
