PAKISTAN’S future lies with its youth, declared a speaker at a function at the Gujrat University on Tuesday — with a great sense of occasion. He was flanked by Hamza Shahbaz Sharif, otherwise known by the rather unworthy title of ‘deputy chief minister of Punjab’. For a city that has had its bright spots in history, this advent of future good governance was a moment that called for celebration. Trust the bad losers in Chaudhry Shujaat Husain’s party to allege that the schools in the area had been closed for the day and students and teachers were forced to give a standing ovation to the honourable guest. Surely, the students will be happy to carry this brush with royalty as a memento for all times to come.

Hamza Sharif’s advance in recent months has thrown up plenty of clues about his — and our — destiny. Recently, he led a long caravan for a sasta Sunday bazaar inspection in Sheikhupura. A few months earlier, veteran foreign players in Lahore, promoting the city as a safe sporting venue, were stunned when asked to abruptly suspend their hockey match for an urgent photo-op with the Sharif heir apparent. There were a few ‘oohs’ and ‘ahs’, half-hearted ones if truth be told. These seniors could do with an extra break provided by the emerging leadership. The case for passing the baton to the new was strengthened when a similar veterans’ game the following day had Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif as the guest of honour. This time no whistle for an unscheduled halt was blown in contrast to the sound of trumpets that had accompanied Hamza Sharif’s visit. That tradition continues as the Sharif scion seeks to provide a break to another veteran in another game involving the wielding of stick and the occasional dangling of carrot.