Challenges ahead:
As song by Christy’s Minstrels.Air – “Limerick Races”
One of the boys am I,
That always am in clover;
With spirits light and high,
‘Tis well I’m known all over.
I am always to be found,
A singing in my glory;
With your smiling faces round,
‘Tis then I’m hunkey dorey.
Apparently before the general elections it was perceived that Mr. Asif Ali Zardari will manage the reasonable number of seats with the support of collaborating partners to retain PPP in power and PMLN will get a set back by Pakistan Teharik e Insaf (PTI) but all speculations and analyses proved to be incorrect and Pakistan Muslim Leagues Nawaz (PMLN) managed to get almost two third of majority in the lower house till the next senate elections.
The results were mind boggling to many, keeping in view the PMLN’s track record and its way of dealing with the important institutions, PMLN’s perception within Pakistan Army as well as American administration. Having said this, all went hunky dory for Nawaz Sharif and he very easily formed the governments in the center as well as Pakistan’s most important province Punjab with his brother Shahbaz Sharif as Chief Minister.
Things are its best till now but what next? This is a million dollar question, as forming government in the center is not the bed of roses. Nawaz government has to cope with number of serious challenges and a slight mistake can cost PMLN a lot. They seem to be in between devil and the deep sea. Smooth landing can only be possible if wisdom prevails, and typical courtiers by whom Mian Sahib is usually surrounded, are only confined to “Khusamid” and not involved in decision making. Mian Sahib has to have people around him who criticize and show him the true picture.
Right now, it looks that PMLN’s government is in a thick soup, the way they took up article SIX and are handling General Pervaiz Mushraf’s case is totally wrong and the impression of revenge seems to be evident. We will discuss this in length later but let me highlight few very important challenges for the incumbent government.
They have in their plate the issues to deal with like putting economy on right track, law and order, policy on terrorism, energy crises and the circular debt, appointment of the heads in all public sector organizations and the regulators, Pak-American ties, handling of IMF and the deal, the fate of Iran-Pakistan gas pipe line, by-elections, how they handle Asif Ali Zardar till his term as president expires and after words, who will be the next president, next army chief and the joint chief, next chief justice, Pak-India ties and the “Amn ke Asha”, American exit from Afghanistan and Pak-Afghan ties, local body elections so on so forth. One can go on and on and identify issues but let’s confine to the above and dissect one by one.
PMLN must understand that the main stream media as well as social media has gained enormous strength in Pakistan and it is very difficult to hush-up things. We must remember and recognize the fact that main stream media supplemented by social media was the main cause/reason which prevented adventurism by the undemocratic forces and prolonged diseased democracy. Now onus lies on the law makers to take diseased democracy from ICU and put it on the right track otherwise it will be too late for everyone. Moreover next 200 days will be very difficult for PNLN and I wish them good luck because their success will determine the path and set the pace for recovery.
