Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan and Nawaz Sharif - Do you want to push Pakistan to the same old confrontation of 1990s? By Nazir Naji; also Express and Dawn..

Power-sharing in Punjab

DEMOCRACY by definition is time-consuming. It is supposed to work through consultation, if not consensus, which takes time. But this should be no excuse for deferring and delaying things indefinitely. It is, therefore, shocking that the two partners in Punjab’s provincial government — the Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) and the Pakistan People’s Party — have taken more than six months to reach a power-sharing deal. Weren’t they supposed to agree on it before they came to office after the February election? Some mitigating circumstances certainly help explain this disastrous delay. Punjab has passed through extraordinary times since the polls. The controversy — still raging — over Shahbaz Sharif’s eligibility to contest election; the need for an interim government headed by Dost Muhammad Khosa; and the widening gulf between the two parties over the lawyers movement and their subsequent parting of ways at the national level certainly detracted from coalition-making.

Sharif’s ‘personalised’ style of governance also did not help the cause of consensus between the two sides. Ministers from the PPP were often found complaining that the chief minister left little authority for them to wield in their respective departments. Most of them in fact actively lobbied for a government of their own party ostensibly citing political reasons but mainly because of their displeasure at Sharif’s domineering leadership. Shadows of Sharif’s disqualification from holding public office still loom large and the two parties are yet poles apart on many an issue. But the power-sharing agreement they have come up with should allow them to see beyond the pros and cons of working together or separately. If Sharif wants to have a smooth run, he should learn how to share and delegate power. If the PPP does not want to be seen as a spoiler, its members should understand that they cannot topple the chief minister without massive horse-trading and defections.

More than anything else, the two sides should realise that they have a huge job on their hands — improving and maintaining law and order, halting a general slide in every sphere of public life and giving the people of Punjab a sense of security and stability. It is not a tall order considering that the provincial government represents more than a two-thirds majority of the provincial legislators and, therefore, is supposed to have as much public support. A government by many should not be seen as always dithering, bickering and failing. Sometimes it should deliver too. (Dawn)







Comments:

Shaikhupora Says:
November 16th, 2008

You know the real problem of our nation memory … dont you remember the histry of Mr.Nawaz… what kind of deal he made with Mush and munafiqat or johoot ki antha he never accepted it untill Hareri showed up himself … let me explain you Mr.philosopher there are 3 types of people in the politics

1 - DICTATOR : like Saddam Hussain, Zia ul Haq ….

2 - LEADOR : Qaid-e-Azam, Liaqat Ali Khan,
Z.A.Bhutto, Altaf Husain, Benazir…..

3 - MUNAFIQ, MUFAAD PARAST , CHOHAY : Nawaz Sharif, Qazi Hussain, Asfand Yar Wali..

and regarding CJ realy … I send LANET on him CJ … when his son didnt get addimision in the college then he become honest, usool parast ..etc … I hate these types of MUNAFIQ JHOTAY AND MUFAAD PARAST …

... when a person gets new hairs, it does not mean that he got the AQAL (SENSE) also …. so brother recall your memory and be honest

Pakistan Zindabad