ISLAMABAD: A major reshuffle in the Punjab bureaucracy appears to be on the cards because Prime Minister Imran Khan is convinced that the administration was stymying governance initiatives in the province, which remained a stranglehold of his political arch nemesis – the Sharif family – for years.
This was the crux of an assessment of the Punjab government’s performance by the PTI core committee which met in the federal capital on Sunday, according to sources. Officially, there was no mention of the subject, though.
The prime minister expressed dissatisfaction with the administrative structure in Punjab while pointing out that ‘weak governance’ was not allowing citizens to benefit from the government’s policies. He said the government would not hesitate if it had to replace civil servants in the province to improve governance.
Participants of the core committee meeting voiced their reservations over the administrative affairs in Punjab, sources told The Express Tribune. They said a proactive and vibrant bureaucracy was necessary to improve governance.
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The prime minister acknowledged that the masses were not benefitting from the government policies due to “poor governance”. The government of Chief Minister Usman Buzdar has been in the crosshairs of critics with sporadic calls for a change in Punjab – a province which, many believe, decides the fate of the government in the Centre.
Premier Imran has dismissed these calls thus far while reiterating his support for Buzdar, who, the opposition says, is a political novice having no experience in governance.
After the core committee meeting, the prime minister had a one-on-one meeting with Chief Minister Buzdar where he gave him instructions for improving the administrative affairs in his province.
According to sources, the prime minister said that if required, the government would not hesitate from replacing top bureaucrats in the provinces. However, he added that such transfers would not have any political motives.
The ruling PTI has frequently blamed the bureaucracy for its governance woes which it believes still have loyalists of its predecessors. Officials privy to discussions in the core committee meeting said a major reshuffle in Punjab bureaucracy was on the cards.
PTI lawmakers and office-bearers have repeatedly complained that civil servants, especially officials in direct public service departments, use delaying tactics to slow down the government initiatives.
JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman’s recent claim that the PML-Q — an ally of the PTI in Punjab and at the Centre – had almost parted ways with the ruling party had triggered a guessing game in the media about the fate of Buzdar’s government.
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However, the speculations were put to rest when PML-Q leader Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi reiterated his party’s unwavering support to the provincial government in a meeting with Buzdar.
“No one should have any misgivings [about our alliance]. We are an ally of the PTI and our alliance is stronger than before. Those trying to sabotage our alliance would fail,” he said.
The PML-Q leader added that merit and good governance ruled the province instead of personal likes and dislikes. “We will jointly work to provide relief to the people as Chief Minister Usman Buzdar is serving the province,” he added.
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