Many times over
The PML-N has come to power for the third time. The people therefore expect it to be cognizant of the rules of business. Unlike the PTI, it cannot claim to be a novice vis a vis governance. As things stand the government has already been reprimanded by the Supreme Court for a number of serious irregularities. Within less than a fortnight of coming into power, the government faced a major embarrassment when a rise in the GST announced by the finance minister was declared unconstitutional by the apex court. The hike in GST and petroleum products was implemented before getting the finance bill approved from the parliament. What is more the enforcement of the measures required prior notification by the FBR. The moment the announcement was made, prices of practically all commodities of daily use registered a significant increase. There was a strong public reaction. The SC took suo motu notice, and ruled: the tax cannot be increased until parliament passes the Finance Bill and the president signs it into law. The one per cent rise in GST was declared unconstitutional, forcing the government to immediately reverse its decision of increasing the fuel prices.
Two relatively minor incidents of irregularities followed in quick succession. In July the government appointed Shujaat Azim as prime minister’s advisor on aviation despite the fact that besides being court martialed, the appointee was also a dual nationality holder. The issue was taken up by the SC leading to Azim’s resignation and causing an embarrassment to the prime minister. In August, the apex court was told that the finance minister had initiated the process to award the Lakhra Power Project to a particular party despite the matter being sub judice and the court having ordered the maintenance of a status quo. The apex court declared the lease null and void. As if it had learnt nothing the government announced a big increase in electricity tariff on September 30. Information minister Pervez Rashid urged the nation to swallow the bitter pill to revive the economy. This was a major policy decision taken once again in violation of clearly laid down rues. The order was passed not by NEPRA which alone is authorised to take the decision but the ministry of power. The government had again to eat humble pie as it was made by the SC to withdraw the notification.
The PML-N has to realise that much has changed since the 1990s when it was in power twice. This includes an independent and assertive judiciary and a free and vibrant media. Attitudes of an era when politicians acted arbitrarily is gone, one hopes, for good. Unless the politicians learn to cope with the new realities they would be yielding their turf to courts or, worse still, to street agitation which is neither good for the government nor the system.
