Shahbaz Sharif, since he is out of country, holds video conferences to address his subordinates, government officers.
ISLAMABAD: The chief minister of Punjab is very quick to respond to every occurrence in Punjab. When the spread of dengue took many lives last year, he pledged to eradicate this evil. He monitored many cleanliness drives and brought together mosquito-killing teams, which were to spray and fumigate congested areas — all this to restrict the spread of the disease. What we saw was that with the winter coming to an end, the mosquitoes died their natural death and the Punjab government celebrated its victory. The health department forgot that the vicious cycle of waterborne diseases and the breeding season of mosquitoes, both, begin every year in September or October. The department failed to enforce preventive measures to spray and fumigate the dens of mosquitoes in various localities and congested areas in the cities, so the disease has again re-emerged.
The chief minister, since he is out of the country, holds video conferences to address his subordinates, government officers and the public, to prevent the spread of this dangerous disease. He seeks daily reports in this regard and all this forms a very good gesture. It is laudable that Shahbaz Sharif sympathises with his public. Nevertheless, the chief minister ought to realise that this system — of tight control and micromanagement — does not necessarily reflect good governance and the norms of democracy. Instead, it erodes the confidence of the people.
Raja Shafaatullah
Published in The Express Tribune, November 2nd, 2013.
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