PM’s priorities and difficulties

Prime Minister Imran Khan is confident that within 100 days, he would be able to set the direction of his government which includes some drastic reforms for which he may go for major legislation.

Where he is going wrong and what possible difficulties he will be facing to enforce his priorities like education, health, accountability, transparency, police and civil service reforms. He wants a complete ‘road map’ of his government in 100 days. Economy is one area which he has completely handed over to his trusted Finance Minister Asad Umar.

PM intends to announce some major reforms and decisions regarding five million houses, starting from Punjab, before the by-elections on number of NA and PA, seats. Sources said, one of the reasons why government has rejected the summary of rise in petroleum prices in October, could also be linked with by-polls. Sources close to premier revealed that there will be some popular reforms as well as addressing serious issues like early disposal of cases particularly in civil matters within a year. This will be in regard to new cases while the government intends to take judiciary into confidence over matters related to hundreds and thousands of old cases pending for years. The law ministry is working on the law as they believe it would give relief to the common man.

The prime minister knows well that if he will be able to bring the alleged ‘looted money’ back as promised by him in the elections and get some high-profile ‘politicians and bureaucrats’ in prison on charges of corruption and get them convicted during his tenure, he would be able to retain people’s trust.

On the contrary, PTI government and Imran also know that if his government fails to deliver what he has promised it would be all over for him. With weak chief ministers in Punjab and KP, the task becomes a bit more difficult and the PM is now personally looking after important matters pertaining to two provinces.

Therefore, he wants to reform FIA and NAB, and make them more powerful. For this very purpose he has kept the portfolio of interior ministry with himself and sources said he is monitoring FIA’s probe into money-laundering investigations.

However, the FIA move to collect the details of Pakistanis properties in UAE and the UK in particular can irk overseas Pakistanis. A top FIA official disclosed to this scribe that there are some 2700 Pakistanis who had properties in UAE, which have been referred to the FBR.

A new Local Government Act will be introduced in the next couple of weeks amid protest from the PML-N and the PPP. There is also a difference of opinion whether to implement it and disband present local bodies immediately and go for fresh LB polls or let the present bodies complete its tenure till 2019.

The premier and Punjab Minister for Local Bodies Aleem Khan and Punjab Assembly Speaker Pervaiz Elahi believe that without taking control of the local bodies, they would not be able to break the PML-N power base in Punjab, which is still strong even without having government in the province.

One of the major difficulties which Imran will be facing and is quite aware of it is local bodies’ polls. There is also a divided opinion on this in PTI’s stronghold Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Besides the PPP government in Sindh has already opposed any new local government law.

Police reforms are also among Imran’s top priorities. Here too he will be facing problems in Balochistan, where feudals and Sardars would oppose issues like replacing Levies with police.

In Punjab, former IGP, KP, Nasir Durrani has been given the task to suggest ways and means for reforming police. It could be possible if the federal government introduce Police Order 2002, which is still considered as the best for making police independent and professional.

In Sindh, this issue has already been tackled after the Sindh High Court in its order in 2017, completely empowered Sindh IGP to take decisions on transfer, posting and promotion even at the DIG level, without seeking approval from the government.

Since education, health, labour, information and law and order are now provincial subjects and the PTI government itself believes in devolution of power, it could bring major reforms in the Centre and in three provinces except Sindh. But premier and the PTI can engage provincial government.

Unified education system looked a difficult task but the best possible way as suggested to the PM is to take steps to improve standard of school and colleges in the public sector.

While the PM is very keen to bring madrassas in the mainstream education system, the powerful Wafaqul Madaris has some reservations as they don’t have confidence in the government. Another problem for the PTI government would be strong opposition from the JUI-F on the issue as it has strong control over madrassas.

Secondly, he is likely to face stiff opposition both from opposition and at times from his own coalition on certain reforms and decisions. Policy of confrontation with the opposition may not help either PM himself or his government. Thus, he has to control his otherwise very energetic and vocal information minister.

Apparently, government looked in no mood to please the opposition. Some of its action could ‘unite’ the divided opposition on issues like nomination of chairman Public Accounts Committee. Government has opposed the move to name leader of the opposition as PAC chairman on the ground that present opposition leader Shahbaz Sharif would not be able to do accountability of the previous PML-N government.

The PPP and the PML-N believe that the PAC record itself negates government claim if one looked to the performance of PAC, which comprises representation from all the parties. Both Ch Nisar and Khursheed Shah remained heads of the PAC in 2008 and 2013 respectively. Their performance is much better than the provincial PACs, which were headed by the ruling parties.

Government and opposition test will be on the probe and findings of recently constituted parliamentary commission to probe July 25, 2018 electoral matters. Therefore, it is high time that prime minister should decide whether he wants to use his experience of 22 years of anti PML-N and PPP politics or his five years experience of the PTI government in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. His intentions to bring police reforms are good and to ensure announcement on major policies within 100 days and also to get smooth sailing in the Parliament on certain important legislations he needs cooperation from the opposition both in the lower house and upper house in particular. For this, he has to control some of his ministers in order to avoid unnecessary controversies.

What happened in the National Assembly Thursday would not help the government in anyway and should not be repeated as government is not strong enough to get all legislation passed without the support of the opposition or without their consent.

People have generally welcomed some of PM’s austerity measures but they are now waiting for pro-people policies and direction in 100 days. There was not much hue and cry over rise in gas and electricity rates as people want to give time to the government. But reaction can come if it continues without any relief to the masses.

The writer is a senior columnist and analyst of Geo, The News and Jang

Twitter: @MazharAbbasGEO