Bashing the Punjab government: slogans vs facts
It is clear that all forces enjoying good relations with establishment have united to eliminate the PML-N from Punjab.
“The Punjab government is bankrupt”; “Law and order situation is worsening in Punjab”; “The PML-N is neglecting south Punjab”; “The Punjab government has failed to deliver”. These are some of the ‘charges’ which have become essential parts of statements and speeches by the PPP-led ruling alliance leaders at the centre. It is clear that they are focusing their ‘critical analysis’ on Punjab as if everything is par excellence in other provinces ruled by the PPP and its allies. However, the reality is quite opposite.
One of the prominent critics, Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi, whose PML-Q is a product of General (retd) Pervez Musharraf’s genius and who had vowed to re-elect the dictator as president in uniform, is forcing the people to believe that his stint as chief minister was the best Punjab has ever had. On the other hand, statistics show that the PML-N policies are more productive and aimed at creating a favourable environment for sustainable economic development with infrastructure as a top priority.
If we look at the ‘charge sheet’, the main allegation levelled against the PML-N is that its Lahore-based leadership is neglecting south Punjab — the main argument behind the political stunt of Seraiki or south Punjab province — and that the PML-Q, in its 2002-07 tenure, had given the people of southern parts of Punjab their ‘due share’.
To make the record straight, it must be mentioned that the PML-N government has increased the yearly allocation for southern Punjab to Rs80 billion in 2012-13 from Rs22.040 billion in 2007-08. In 2003-04, the total Annual Development Programme (ADP) allocation for Punjab was Rs30.5 billion with 23 per cent share (Rs7.1 billion) for south Punjab. By 2007-8, when the PML-Q was in office, this share slid to 15 per cent.
If we go through the budgetary allocations by the PML-N government, the story is quite opposite, as the percentage share of south Punjab in ADP has been enhanced every year, from 16 per cent in 2008-09 to 32 per cent in 2011-12 in 2012-13. The total development allocation was Rs160 billion for the first budget of the PML-N government, with Rs25.7 billion for south Punjab, and this increased to Rs250 billion (south Punjab’s share at Rs60 billion) by 2012-13. In other words, the Pervaiz Elahi-led government slashed the development budget for south Punjab by more than 50 per cent, while the PML-N government more than doubled it. Most importantly, all this has been achieved with a hostile government at the centre.
But why this PML-N bashing which lacks proof? It is clear that all the forces enjoying good relations with the establishment have united to eliminate the PML-N from Punjab. The foremost reason behind this approach is the party’s clear stance on civil-military relations and rule of law in the country. The PML-N, under the leadership of Nawaz Sharif, has also ended the impression that the people of Punjab are always tilted towards the establishment and has raised its voice in favour of small provinces, which augurs well for a strong federation and Pakistan. It helped Punjab get rid of the Legharis, Mazaris, Tiwanas, Daultanas and Chaudhrys, who always served the establishment and fooled people through mere sloganeering. As a result, the PML-N is now the most popular and representative political party of Pakistan, a fact which cannot be digested by the kingmakers, traditional power-brokers and their allied political entities.
After a complete failure to deliver during its tenure and the demise of much-hyped ‘tsunami’, the PPP has now chosen to field Manzoor Ahmed Wattoo to reverse its dwindling fortunes in Punjab. The move reminds us about the reality that the PPP is not bothered by even using workers to win elections and has resorted to power politics as a last resort to cling on to power to further its own interests at the cost of people. The PPP and its allies must not forget that the sole criterion to contest polls is performance and announcements of “restricting Sharifs to Raiwind” will be counterproductive. People want real change and not a manufactured one.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 22nd, 2012.
One of the prominent critics, Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi, whose PML-Q is a product of General (retd) Pervez Musharraf’s genius and who had vowed to re-elect the dictator as president in uniform, is forcing the people to believe that his stint as chief minister was the best Punjab has ever had. On the other hand, statistics show that the PML-N policies are more productive and aimed at creating a favourable environment for sustainable economic development with infrastructure as a top priority.
If we look at the ‘charge sheet’, the main allegation levelled against the PML-N is that its Lahore-based leadership is neglecting south Punjab — the main argument behind the political stunt of Seraiki or south Punjab province — and that the PML-Q, in its 2002-07 tenure, had given the people of southern parts of Punjab their ‘due share’.
To make the record straight, it must be mentioned that the PML-N government has increased the yearly allocation for southern Punjab to Rs80 billion in 2012-13 from Rs22.040 billion in 2007-08. In 2003-04, the total Annual Development Programme (ADP) allocation for Punjab was Rs30.5 billion with 23 per cent share (Rs7.1 billion) for south Punjab. By 2007-8, when the PML-Q was in office, this share slid to 15 per cent.
If we go through the budgetary allocations by the PML-N government, the story is quite opposite, as the percentage share of south Punjab in ADP has been enhanced every year, from 16 per cent in 2008-09 to 32 per cent in 2011-12 in 2012-13. The total development allocation was Rs160 billion for the first budget of the PML-N government, with Rs25.7 billion for south Punjab, and this increased to Rs250 billion (south Punjab’s share at Rs60 billion) by 2012-13. In other words, the Pervaiz Elahi-led government slashed the development budget for south Punjab by more than 50 per cent, while the PML-N government more than doubled it. Most importantly, all this has been achieved with a hostile government at the centre.
But why this PML-N bashing which lacks proof? It is clear that all the forces enjoying good relations with the establishment have united to eliminate the PML-N from Punjab. The foremost reason behind this approach is the party’s clear stance on civil-military relations and rule of law in the country. The PML-N, under the leadership of Nawaz Sharif, has also ended the impression that the people of Punjab are always tilted towards the establishment and has raised its voice in favour of small provinces, which augurs well for a strong federation and Pakistan. It helped Punjab get rid of the Legharis, Mazaris, Tiwanas, Daultanas and Chaudhrys, who always served the establishment and fooled people through mere sloganeering. As a result, the PML-N is now the most popular and representative political party of Pakistan, a fact which cannot be digested by the kingmakers, traditional power-brokers and their allied political entities.
After a complete failure to deliver during its tenure and the demise of much-hyped ‘tsunami’, the PPP has now chosen to field Manzoor Ahmed Wattoo to reverse its dwindling fortunes in Punjab. The move reminds us about the reality that the PPP is not bothered by even using workers to win elections and has resorted to power politics as a last resort to cling on to power to further its own interests at the cost of people. The PPP and its allies must not forget that the sole criterion to contest polls is performance and announcements of “restricting Sharifs to Raiwind” will be counterproductive. People want real change and not a manufactured one.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 22nd, 2012.