Sins of omission and commission
The tendency in the PML-N government to delay taking vital decisions till alarm bells start ringing could bring it in confrontation with the Supreme Court. The delay is mostly caused by the highly personalised style of the party leadership in running the affairs of the government. The decision making revolves around the prime minister at the center and the chief minister in Punjab. There is no genuine sharing of power with cabinet members and little delegation of powers. The two government leaders keep more portfolios than they can manage. Attempts to micromanage affairs keep the attention away from crucial issues. The top leadership at the center and the province loses sight of priorities. This has impaired the quality of governance
The federal government is yet to take a decision regarding a new CEC even after a fourth reminder by SC. It has also not implemented the apex court’s guidelines regarding minorities despite the recent lynching of the Christian husband and wife. In another directive the court has ordered the Punjab government to submit a report on the deaths of new born babies in a Sargodha hospital. The tragic incident would not have happened if lessons had been drawn from a similar incident in Vehari a few months back. The three cases speak volumes about the apathy of the government on issues of public concern.
The electoral mandate does not free the governments from their obligations to the public. The misconception that they can freely indulge in sins of omission and commission during a whole tenure needs to be removed. Democracy is a system of checks and balances. It involves oversight of every institution’s performance. During most of its recent tenure the PML-N has treated parliament in a cavalier like fashion only to find how vulnerable it is without its support. Once out of the doldrums, complacency has returned and there is a resurgence of arrogance. It must not take the SC lightly.