Shehbaz speed

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif established his reputation as a ‘no-nonsense’ administrator as chief minister of Punjab. Punjab Speed became a moniker for his speedy development work across the province, especially in Lahore. Now in his new seat as the prime minister of Pakistan, he has talked about Pakistan Speed. Certainly, he appears to mean business, having already made Saturday a working day for government officials, and changed office hours so they start from 8am. He is even ready to work on Sundays and expects his officials and workers to do the same. So far the optics are good, but at the moment they are just optics. The PM will need to translate these into concrete results. So, what are the immediate challenges that he must face? Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, in probably the strongest message on his first day, visited Karachi on a priority basis. The PPP and the MQM are now allies in the coalition government and both parties need attention and respect as does, more importantly, the city of Karachi. The PTI government was constantly at odds with the Sindh government, creating an unpleasant rift between the federal and provincial governments. This rift needs mending and close cooperation between the three parties will bode well for Sindh, particularly Karachi. The visit was also significant as Karachi is the commercial and industrial hub of the country and will play a major role in the recovery of the economy that has been badly hit by the mismanagement of the previous government. There is hope that the formation of the National Economic Council will go some way in resolving the crippling inflation the country has been hit by.

The task that awaits PM Shehbaz most urgently is perhaps the formation of a cabinet which can deliver what he has promised. Promises are easy to make but acting upon them may be harder than anticipated, especially with the kind of diverse coalition the new government is based on. The prime minister seems to have already begun discussions for his cabinet, with the most important posting likely to be that of a finance minister, given that the budget is just weeks away. For now, the front-runner for the job appears to be Miftah Ismail, if one were to disregard the unsubstantiated rumours regarding the return of Senator Ishaq Dar. There is as yet no indication about the other ministerial slots. There was also talk of Bilawal Bhutto Zardari being handed charge of foreign policy. However, the PPP is reportedly yet to decide on its plans as far as cabinet positions are concerned.

There have been some justifiable concerns regarding the way power in Pakistan is concentrated in the hands of one or two families. PM Shehbaz Sharif should be focusing on a more inclusive and participatory approach to governance and management. There is also the question of the now-controversial NAB and the issue of accountability. Accountability must take place; but there must be no trace of vindictiveness or vengeance. The cycle of targeting opponents must end with the PTI government. Waking up at 8am and coming to work on Saturdays may be good steps indeed but nothing will matter at the end without sound economic policies, a strong foreign policy, electoral reforms, devolution, and support for freedom of speech and other fundamental rights.