

To do this, Mr Sharif, despite the fact that he has a solid, simple majority in parliament — receiving a total of 244 votes in the National Assembly — will need to overcome a number of immediate difficulties. The first among these is possibly the power crisis. It has left our country crippled and our people badly affected by the daily hours of load-shedding. Equally pressing is the matter of drone strikes, which he also addressed in a speech made in parliament, calling for the United States to end its campaign of drone attacks and respect Pakistan’s sovereignty. The economy, too, needs attention — while the relatives of hundreds of missing persons in the country staged a demonstration in Islamabad as voting for the prime minister slot took place to draw attention to their own concerns.
The next five years will be shaped by the degree of success Mr Sharif enjoys in solving, or at least easing, the problems the country faces. Right now, he seems to be committed to the task. Whether this will be enough — time will tell. Beyond commitment, we need well thought-out policies which incorporate all groups in the country so that it can become a more united one. The last five years have proved that governments need to deliver if they are to succeed in office. The PML-N will no doubt have this in mind with Mr Sharif saying that the trust the people have placed in him is an asset for him, as well as his strength. The prime minister has already earned for himself a name in the history books. Other questions regarding, what we hope will be a five-year tenure in power, can only be answered once the task of governance gets underway.
Published in The Express Tribune, June 6th, 2013.
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