CM Usman Buzdar and south Punjab: is he walking the talk?
The writer is a former op-ed editor of the Daily Times and a freelance columnist. She can be reached on twitter at @MehrTarar
Looking at the performance of the government of Chief Minister of Punjab Usman Buzdar in one of the most neglected and underdeveloped regions of Pakistan is a key element to gauge the credibility of his governance. How much attention is being paid to the issues of south Punjab that has mostly and regularly been sidelined during the tenures of the previous governments?
The region with a population of 34.7 million is divided into three divisions – Multan, Bahawalpur, Dera Ghazi Khan – and 11 districts of huge importance in terms of their size, potential, and role in the elections and government formation process.
The stark reality of south Punjab being a traditionally backward area, on both micro and macro levels, is not just mindboggling but also a mirror that shows the utter lack of attention all governments in the last four decades have shown to south Punjab.
Despite being the area of origin of presidents, prime ministers, chief ministers, speakers, foreign ministers, and federal and provincial ministers, south Punjab has invariably been treated like a stepchild – insignificant, mistreated and mostly forgotten. Despite being home to some of Pakistan’s most affluent, the underprivileged people of south Punjab exist with the bleak awareness that collectively, they are nothing more than a vote bank. Individually, they are invisible.
Then came Imran Khan’s government in August 2018, with many promises, one being the massive development of south Punjab. The appointment of Usman Buzdar as the chief minister of Punjab reiterated PM Imran’s full confidence in his choice.
On August 18, 2018 PM Imran had said: “Usman [Buzdar] comes from one of the most backward areas of Punjab – the tribal area of DG Khan Division. It is an area that has no electricity, water, or a doctor for over 200,000 people. He understands the problems of the people of neglected areas and will be able to ensure their uplift as CM.”
More than three years later, has Chief Minister Buzdar proven to be the leader Prime Minister Imran said he had the potential to be? Has the 2018 PTI newcomer turned into a capable administrator who has empathetic knowledge of “the problems of the people of neglected areas?” The comprehensive assessment of the work of Punjab’s chief minister will be done at the end of his term in 2023. What is of special interest to millions of people, however, is how much “uplifting” of south Punjab Sardar Usman Buzdar as chief minister has succeeded in doing so far.
As the wise say, “Actions speak louder than words.” In the words of the government of Punjab, the actions of Chief Minister Buzdar simply strengthen the words and the promises of his party and leader, while fulfilling the expectations and dreams of the people of south Punjab.
Thirty-five per cent share from Punjab’s development budget ringfenced for south Punjab to ensure that the funds committed to this region are not diverted to the development schemes of other regions.
Publication of a separate ADP book covering work being done in south Punjab; development statistics published separately to give the decision-makers a better insight and a realistic picture.
Constant and transparent follow-up, resulting in initiation of work on more than 90 per cent of the new schemes for 2022, the major focus of government spending to be on human and infrastructural development to ensure an equitable and balanced distribution of resources, paving the way for economic prosperity, poverty reduction and employment-generation in south Punjab.
For poverty alleviation and equitable economic development, the Punjab Poverty Graduation Initiative worth Rs9 billion and South Punjab Equalisation Programme worth Rs4.5 billion were launched by the CM Buzdar government.
The provincial government initiated 252 schemes of primary and secondary healthcare units and specialised healthcare and medical education worth Rs138 billion.
Under ADP 2021-22, allocation of Rs38 billion for the health sector for improvement of existing health institutions and establishment of the state-of-the-art 13 new health dispensaries, 31 BHUs, 3 model RHCs; upgradation of 21 BHUs into RHCs; establishment of 158 new Sehat Ghar and dispensaries.
Building of six new mother and child hospitals, approximate cost Rs35 billion, in Multan, Dera Ghazi Khan, Layyah, Bahawalnagar, Muzaffargarh and Rajanpur districts
Construction of two new tertiary care hospitals, Nishtar-II Multan and Sheikh Zayed-II Rahimyar Khan at a cost of Rs17 billion. Moreover, the Punjab government earmarked Rs22 billion for the Universal Health Insurance Scheme to provide free healthcare up to Rs1 million to each family in south Punjab. Rs19 billion has been allocated in the current development budget for the school and higher education sector and the establishment of five new universities and 37 new colleges.
As many as 616 schemes at the cost of Rs132 billion include road rehabilitation programme, Punjab Arterial Roads worth Rs25 billion, to upgrade and dualise major roads of the region for improvement in north-south and east-west connectivity.
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