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Friday, October 4, 2024

CM Usman Buzdar: Promises and the Reality

Many point fingers at the Chief Minister of Punjab for the political and economic instability in the region. With promises of a ‘Naya Pakistan’ and no changes in reforms since Usman Buzdar’s appointment, the following article provides an analytic overview of the situation.

News Desk |

Usman Buzdar, chief minister of Punjab, has once again stated that the people are going to witness a developed Pakistan soon. In a statement issued from his office, CM Buzdar said, that the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) led government has had to make difficult decisions to put the economy back on the right track. He explained that the former rulers created havoc and played with the country by burdening every child with debt and further added that those who tried to ruin the journey towards Pakistan’s development and prosperity, they will be made answerable for their deeds.

The chief minister also said that his government was committed to solve the problems of the common people on a priority basis. “We are always striving for solving public problems and every moment of the government is devoted to providing a better future to the nation,”

However, experts and political commentators are not quite satisfied with the performance of CM Punjab. According to a recent notification issued by the Punjab government, it has now 38 spokespersons. The notification was ridiculed by many social media users who maintained that the government must focus on performance, not on its image management without delivery of services.

Internal sources in PTI confirm that Jahangir Khan Tareen stood by Usman Buzdar and suggested PM Khan not to replace him at any cost. Therefore, Khan changed his mind.

The Punjab government is also accused of blessing anyone who has joined the party after winning the elections as independent, either as minister or spokespersons of adviser. It has raised some serious questions for the future of CM Buzdar.

As a matter of fact, there is no change in Police. The PTI promised before coming into power to reform the actions of the police and to make it a model institution. But after assuming the offices, the party has failed to introduce any change which might have impacted the performance of the police across the province. It has disappointed many of PTI’s supporters who were expecting to live in a Naya Pakistan. Ayaz Amir, a prominent journalist, recently noted that there is no denying that the incumbent government is facing economic challenges, but who has stopped Usman Buzdar to reform the activities of the police?

Similarly, there has been no substantial change in the health sector either, where the current Minister tried to introduce some projects but they were already initiated by the PML-N. The PTI has failed in Punjab to introduce any structural change to upgrade health facilities in public hospitals.

Read more: No ‘change’ in Punjab: Is that why PML-Q stands by Usman…

After Asad Umer resigned as the minister of finance, it was in news that Usman Buzdar was going to be replaced. However, internal sources in PTI confirm that Jahangir Khan Tareen stood by Usman Buzdar and suggested PM Khan not to replace him at any cost. Therefore, Khan changed his mind.

Prominent political commentator and Editor Fahd Hussain, argued a few months ago that “make no mistake: there is trouble — serious trouble — in Punjab.” Fahd argues that the CM Buzdar has little or no control over police and bureaucracy in the province. “This trouble starts with the Chief Minister’s control, or the lack of it, over the running of the province. Yes he travels regularly across the land suspending an odd official here and a random bureaucrat there, but his grip is weak on the affairs of the domain he lords over,” he wrote months ago.

Read more: No plan to replace Punjab CM Usman Buzdar, clarifies PTI

While proposing solutions to ensure better governance in Punjab, Fahd suggested that “now Khan needs to make him (CM Buzdar) un-happen if he wants to return to his original vision. Today Punjab is a mess. Forget competing with Shehbaz; the province is on the brink of a major crisis.”