It has been over three years since the last general elections. The PML-N government came into power with promises of ending energy shortfall, boosting the economy, and ridding people of other social problems. Three years into their tenure and most of the problems persist. The only progress witnessed has been in the economic sector, but that too has come at the cost of foreign debts. Opposition parties, mainly Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, were protesting on the streets and contesting the election results merely a year after the polls. Now, they are again threatening for street agitation on the Panama Papers issue. Amid all this chaos, it is the public that is suffering as government is focussed more on defending itself against allegations rather than concentrating on the issues that are crippling the country’s economy.
Prime Minister Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif has been lately busy in meetings to decide on the issues relating to the extension of the Chief of Army Staff General Raheel Sharif and the protest movement of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf and Pakistan Awami Tehreek. Although there are many speculations in the media circles, there has not been any official word from the Prime Minister’s office.
PML-N came into power with an almost two-third majority in the National Assembly. Moreover, it has won virtually all by-elections as well as local body elections held throughout the country. Moreover, the recent triumph in the AJK elections also speaks volumes of people’s trust in the current government. Government should reciprocate people’s mandate entrusted to it, and form an independent judicial commission for investigations into the Panama Papers issue. No matter how trustworthy the panel is among the masses or the opposition, there is a protocol that needs to be followed, and investigations should be held against the alleged wrongdoings. The sooner government is able to clear its name from the issue, the better it would be for the people of Pakistan as government will be able to focus solely on the issues the people are facing.
The prerogative of the appointment of new army chief or extension of the present one solely rests upon the prime minister. It is he who will make the final decision, and he has every right to remain silent on the issue. Although there is no need to answer useless questions circulating in the media, there should be an active spokesperson of the prime minister to deal with any such concerns. Everywhere around the world, be it the White House, 10 Downing Street or any other office of the country’s premier, an official spokesperson is present to brief the media on all related questions on the premier’s activities. The Prime Minister’s office does not need a spokesperson merely for press briefings; it should maintain its presence on social media for a wider outreach to the masses. The news of prime minister’s activities should not be coming from his relatives, as has happened in recent past, but from the official spokesperson.
http://dailytimes.com.pk/editorial/03-Aug-16/prime-ministers-silence
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