Daily Times

Nawaz Sharif’s critics had laughed him off after the sight of him being out of the public eye for the last several months. However, now that PML(N) supremo has decided to assert himself, he is sending a clear message: when he speaks, his party listens. Shortly after he had sat alongside Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz to announce a significant relief for electricity consumers in his party’s citadel, Saturday saw him calling for both the centre and Punjab to “do more” in a consultative meeting held in Lahore.

That he chose to go beyond mere words by demanding a cut in government spending to make room for reduced power tariffs for not just residential but also industrial users has made him relevant to the political landscape. After all, he dared openly address the swirling chatter in stark contrast to the unsaid norm about austerity being a buzzword only when politicians in Pakistan sit on the opposition benches.

For now, it is hoped that other provinces will follow suit. While Sindh and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa governments have repeatedly raised clarion calls for more funds from the NFC award, there are a few corners that they could still cut and a few superfluous administrative units they could do without.

Oversized cabinets, for instance, are not just an unnecessary burden on taxpayers but a naked display of the government’s disconnect from the battles their people fight every day to put food in their bellies or keep a roof over their heads.

Expecting provincial governments to willingly share debt servicing or give up their precious finances for the sake of the greater good might be akin to beating about the same bush but surely, Punjab and Sindh (if not Khyber Pakhtunkhwa) can utilise the remaining proceeds from the last financial year as fuel for pro-people initiatives. Instead of preaching to the choir about the unprecedented hard times, those at the helm of the affairs might gain some goodwill by proactively finding ways to address the challenges. *