News Desk |
Dear Mr. Prime Minister,
On your obvious victory against your opponents, let us congratulate you on behalf of the people of Pakistan. People who have voted for you, against you or those who did not come out of the comfort of their homes, are all now looking up and beyond what has happened.
Mr. Prime Minister, we want to believe that you can turn things around and change our fate. If you cannot deliver, the people might lose faith in you, leading you towards the door.
Mr. Prime Minister, the time for celebrations is limited this time around; you have damages to undo, you have promised to fulfill and you have a country to save. We wish to address some of the most critical problems that you will have to concoct the solutions to:
The economy is in shambles and your shadow finance minister is a beacon of hope for many. Mr. Asad Umar may not have had the brightest career as a member of the National Assembly these past five years but with his experience in managerial positions from his previous life, people are hopeful (and he has promised in lieu for our vote) that he can turn things around for the economy that is in ruins. Your supporters have defended Mr. Umar’s statement about creating ten million job opportunities with logic and sense; now is your time to guide Mr. Umar to fulfill that difficult promise.
Mr. Shah Mehmood Qureshi, as Chief Minister Punjab, has big shoes to fill. Mian Shehbaz Sharif may have had a terrible track record in corruption grafts and his family’s fortunes, but not even you, Mr. Prime Minister, can deny that in face of an era infested with terrorism, Shehbaz Sharif painted a considerably healthy face on the larger cities. There have been infrastructure developments which Mr. Qureshi needs to maintain and there are educational and health reforms to be brought immediately.
Mr. Ali Muhammad Khan is listed as your interior Minister. Whoever your interior minister turns out to be, it will be an iron task to reform the notorious Punjab police, the Sindh police with the servitude culture and the Balochistan Police that has only suffered losses at the hands of miscreants. Considering the recent wave of insurgency that has taken the lives of hundreds so close to the polls that have chosen you, you may have more sinister forces to deal with than your political opponents.
Mr. Asad Umar may not have had the brightest career as a member of the National Assembly these past five years but with his experience in managerial positions from his previous life, people are hopeful (and he has promised in lieu for our vote) that he can turn things around for the economy that is in ruins.
Mr. Fawad Chaudhry, a former journalist, has been jotted down as your information minister. Interacting with the media and taking it into confidence for developmental advisory, Mr. Prime Minister, is crucial at this point.
You have been a popular leader for most of the mainstream media but now would be the time to bring the stakeholders to the table and discuss possible outcomes of actions. You will also have to bring together media minds to formulate ideas as to how you are going to tackle extremist narratives. Extremism, of any form, can only be countered with the aid of the media, the sooner you grasp that, the better.
This would be grazing the surface; things to begin with. Come what may remember this: the People of Pakistan have spoken in your favor because of what you say you believe in: the strife for a better Pakistan. Mr. Prime Minister, we want to believe that you can turn things around and change our fate. If you cannot deliver, the people might lose faith in you, leading you towards the door.
Wishing you the best of luck,
– A hopeful Pakistani