Some ideas for Punjab CM’s consideration

Power is an addiction and he who tastes it once wants to remain in the driving seat forever.

There are people who perform so well during their incumbency that they are remembered by the posterity for long. And there are also others who use the opportunity only to make wealth enough for many future generations.

The best ruler is the one who tries to solve people’s problems to the best of his capability. He always keeps the accountability in the Hereafter in mind.

Such a ruler keeps himself abreast with people’s problems, needs as well as sufferings. But this is possible only when he personally visits various places and has firsthand information about the situation.

Those who confine themselves to luxurious drawing rooms and take decisions only on the basis of official statistics are always ignorant of the ground realities. Everyone knows that official statistics, mostly, paint a very rosy picture of the situation for the satisfaction of the man in power.

The Caliphs are remembered as the best rulers because they used to personally visit various places in disguise and get information which otherwise would not have been possible.

If the tradition is revived, a revolutionary change would come about in the situation. All state organs would start performing their duties efficiently and people would have their problems solved without facing any difficulty.

For this purpose, Punjab chief minister Sardar Usman Buzdar should disguise himself and visit without being accompanied by any aide bazaars, markets, utility stores and retail shops to monitor prices and quality of products. Without doubt, he will get an information which he will never get through bureaucratic channels in his spacious drawing room.

At such places he will be able to listen to people complaining about high prices and inferior quality of products on sale.

Then he should visit police stations and see for himself the way the people are (mal)treated there and the abusive language the ‘reformed’ police officials use both for the complainants and the accused. Police stations are also the places where bribery is at the peak and nothing moves unless the palms are greased.

If the Punjab Cm wants to see the respect given to an ordinary mortal, no matter how genuine his complaint, he should visit as many police stations in urban and rural areas as possible. It will be a good experience for him to learn how civilized is the police force despite tall claims made by successive governments.

Similar visits to jails and hospitals will add to the chief minister’s experience. He will witness the treatment being meted out to people at these places. In the light of such experience he will be in a better position to advise his top party leadership what the PTI government should do to be able to honour the commitments made in the party’s election manifesto.

If the CM wants to know the kind o problems consumers have to face while paying their utility bills, he should visit the designated places.   

CM Buzdar should also travel by public transport to monitor the kind of situation the people he is ruling have to face every day. Unjustified fares and uncivilized treatment to commuters will certainly open his eyes and he will have a better idea of what needs to be done to reform this sector.

Since the education sector is also very important for a society, he should also spare time visit public as well as private institutions. Such visits will enlighten him about the situation there and the steps needed to reform them.

Such an initiative will add to the popularity of the chief minister- and his party - and will also help solve problems people have to face every day.  He must bear in mind that it is the Punjab chief minister’s performance on which depends the party’s future in next elections. If the PTI wins Punjab, it will be able to form its government at the Centre. Poor performance in Punjab means a bleak future of the PTI.