Daily Times

The oath-taking saga of the newly-minted Punjab Chief Minister has finally run its course and the worst is probably over for the country’s largest province. For, it has finally survived its long-drawn-out stint without a functioning executive.

The less said the better about the judiciary and the state forced to play every trick out of the handbook to ensure the delivery of a very valid mandate–given to the golden candidate by a democratically-elected assembly. However, amid all the letters and excuses, a red flag here and a suspicious illness there, that Mr Hamza Shahbaz has reached the hot seat should be taken as a new beginning.

Of course, a lot remains to be covered about the political sticky pitch and how heated impasses have become the order of the day. Still, the up-and-running government would be extremely ill-advised if it decides to waste its time setting records straight and making dirty headlines. After all, its performance is the only x-factor that would help pull voters in the general elections, whenever they are held.

From rolling up sleeves and getting down in the field to present a public-oriented budget to relieving the direst energy crunch, there is a lot to do in an unbelievably short time. Punjab has fires raging in all corners and unless the debilitating inflation crisis is dealt with heads-on, nothing worthwhile can be changed. When sitting on the opposition benches, the firebrand parliamentarians were known for thundering against the mum approach to the sugar mafia and now, their scorecard would be ruthlessly tracked by the former ruling party in this regard.

Having the support of a friendly federal government is a much-needed cherry on the cake that has whipped wonders in the past for the ruling PML(N). The Hamza factor was always talked about as someone who liked operating from the shadows.

Since he has spent most of his adult life navigating through the twists and turns of provincial politics, he is expected to carve an identity of his own. The days of operating as a loyal lieutenant are far gone. It is time to show a 31.8 million-strong land that he truly cares for its progress, its welfare, and its prospects. Let’s just hope Senior/Junior Sharif are as formidable of a combo as the powerful brothers-in-arms. *