AN inaugural address to the nation as prime minister saw a vintage performance by Imran Khan — one that has given cheer to his supporters and elicited scepticism from his political opponents. What is clear is that Mr Khan will need a quick prioritisation of aims, a coherent strategy and an effective team to deliver what he has promised the nation.

Mr Khan’s politics have revolved around a domestic governance, social and economic agenda, so it is no surprise that he chose to focus on those areas in his address on Sunday. While foreign policy, national security, and the fight against terrorism, militancy and extremism are vital to Pakistan’s long-term success as a nation, the domestic social and economic arenas have been undeniably underemphasised and underserved by the country’s leadership.

Surely, then, whatever the political differences with or opposition to Mr Khan and the PTI, all Pakistanis can only wish Prime Minister Khan well in his fight to reduce child stunting, combat climate change and improve the quality of urban life.

Mr Khan may be a newcomer to elected high office, but it is not for the first time that the country has heard the promise of great, positive change being imminent. If Mr Khan is to deliver even a modicum of what he has promised the nation, he will need to do so through constitutional, parliamentary and executive structures that are necessarily complex and that can be frustrating to deal with.

The prime ministerial address to the nation on Sunday was perhaps not the forum in which to lay out a detailed road map for improved service delivery across the various tiers of government, but Mr Khan will need to quickly demonstrate that he understands the complexities of the executive branch of government and the constitutional division of governing responsibilities between the centre and the provinces.

Having a governing role in three of the four provinces will give the PTI substantial space to deliver on Mr Khan’s multi-tiered agenda, but there must be clarity, purpose and direction at the very top.

To put it another way, Mr Khan appears to have the will, but does he know the way? Thus far, among the many choices Mr Khan has made for senior positions in the federal and provincial governments, there are few, if any, individuals who can be identified as transformative change-makers.

Mr Khan’s decision to retain the interior ministry portfolio for himself is surely an unwise choice. Just as it was wrong of Nawaz Sharif to retain important ministerial portfolios for himself as prime minister, it is wrong of Mr Khan to believe that corruption can be effectively combated through personal oversight rather than the strengthening of institutions.

It is hoped that in the days and weeks ahead, Mr Khan’s domestic agenda will emerge in a set of clear priorities and a coherent strategy.

Published in Dawn, August 21st, 2018