Will the newly elected Punjab Chief Minister Chaudhry Parvez Elahi break the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz’s (PML-N) bureaucratic stronghold in the province or continue with those under ex-CM Buzdar?
One of the biggest-ever team of ministers and advisers former CM Hamza appointed has ceased to exist in the shortest time after the apex court’s landmark judgment. Two of the new ministers could remain in office just for a day.
Elahi was duly notified as CM by the CS Punjab after Supreme Court declared the deputy speaker Punjab Assembly Dost Mazari’s ruling illegal. He will have to face multiple challenges in the days to come. The first challenge for him would be the constitution of his team led by the Chief Secretary. There may be a clash between the province and federation on the posting of officers against top slots like CS, IGP and other key positions. The CM Elahi will have to depend on honest, hard-working officers both federal and provincial officers who were sidelined by former CM Hamza. Moreover, Elahi has to replace the junior officers posted in key administrative positions with senior competent officers. His former principal secretary G M Sikandar, as sources claimed, have already prepared lists of officers to surrender from Punjab. Moreover, the lists of officers who will be posted against key administrative positions both in the metropolis, Civil Secretariat and field formations are also compiled by Sikandar. Officers have already started lobbying for positions in the new setup. His secretary Punjab Assembly Muhammad Khan Bhatti, a grade 22 officer, will also have a central role in the new setup.
A senior officer close to Elahi was of the view that CM would also initiate proceedings in the Provincial Assembly’s Privilege Committee against the incumbent CS Kamran Ali Afzal, outgoing IGP Sardar Ali Khan and all those who acted against peaceful protesters like CCPO etc. He said that both had allowed an attack on the Punjab assembly in their presence and PTI Chief Imran Khan had pledged to act against them. He said that CM will replace CS Afzal and IGP Faisal Shahkar, Principal Secretary to CM Nabeel Awan, Secretary Health Ali Jaan Khan, Secretary Law Ahmed Raza Sarwar, Commissioners, DCs, ACs. Moreover, the CCPO, Regional Police Officers, DPOs, and heads of the autonomous bodies posted by CM Hamza will also be replaced.
“It will be a conflicting situation like that of Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) government in the center and PML-N in Punjab,” said Dr Munawwar, an analyst. He was of the view that newly elected CM Ch Parvez should constitute his new teams of officers and ministers. He said that like his previous chief ministership, Elahi should give a free hand to his administrative and police teams without any political interference.
A senior officer who is also a candidate for the top slot of the Provincial Police Officer said that CM Elahi would introduce reforms in the police establishment.
CM Elahi should impose financial discipline by linking fringe benefits to the performance of officers, reducing non-development expenditures, strictly observing austerity measures and having control over the misuse of vehicles. CM Elahi should also set an example by not exercising his discretionary powers as his successors did. He should also avoid issuing directives and relaxing rules to uphold merit. The South Punjab Secretariat should be empowered in a real sense.
He should control revenue leaks in many sectors like BOR, Excise, and Revenue Authority etc. Besides restructuring the Anti-Corruption Establishment, he should empower his officers to exercise summary trials for quick justice on the doorsteps. He should also protect farmers’ rights especially against sugar mill owners, middlemen and mafias.
The restoration of the magistracy may help him control price hikes, adulteration and hoarding issues. Ease of doing business, promotion of tourism and sports, drug control and smuggling of crops from Punjab will be other challenges. He should also strengthen the youth by interest-free financing for businesses and studies. The young lot will play a decisive role in the 2023 elections. He should conduct local bodies’ elections without any delay and devolve powers to them. Reversing Shehbaz Sharif’s centralizing powers would pay the way for his good governance at the grass root level.
Elahi should personally streamline technological interventions for good governance by focusing on Punjab Information Technology Board. Health card, Ehsaas programs and other social security programs should continue with a new spirit. Besides revamping his media team, he should empower the defunct CMIT to monitor service delivery across the province including neglected areas as well. Without a complete overhauling of the age-old colonial bureaucratic system, the dream of good governance cannot be materialized. Last but not the least, the CM should personally interview officers before posting them. Later, he should ensure their tenure protection. It will win the hearts of bureaucracy and ensure good governance in the province.
