SHAHBAZ Sharif wagged his finger like anything all through 2012. But he did a lot of other things as well that impressed his supporters, but were considered populist gestures of a ‘Mughal king’. For the officials, he remained a ‘nightmare’, keeping them on their toes round the clock. He is taken as a sporty chief minister trying to relive his youth by playing games with students during his visits to their institutions, raising slogans and singing songs in chorus with them, riding motorbikes and so on.

The PML-N and the chief minister take pride in the development projects initiated in the province. From ‘Aashiyana’ housing schemes and ‘Daanish’ schools to the Metro Bus System in Lahore; all were accomplished in record times but at the cost of rules and regulations.

Making a mockery of the populist gestures the CM exhibits in public, PPP leaders say that by delivering fiery speeches in which he sometimes disturbs the microphones rather seriously, Shahbaz actually mimics the late Zulfikar Ali Bhutto. It is also believed that a known Urdu columnist selects words and is developing the style for the speeches that Shahbaz delivers in public. Videos of old fiery politicians are also screened for his benefit, it is said.

His ‘obsession’ with development projects reached its peak in 2012 in the run-up to the elections. Mega projects worth tens of billions of rupees were started, but as the projects lacked proper planning, changes were made to handle one obstacle after another during the execution on a day to day basis. What the chief minister dreams in the dark of the night, he starts to implement it as soon as he gets up in the morning, say his critics.

‘Over-adulation’ by a handful of sycophants is being blamed for the chief minister’s impetuosity. Calling him Shershah Soori, the Muslim ruler who had built the famous GT Road, pleases him no end, but, as PML-Q MPA Amna Ulfat put it, he should not be the “Soori of digging and demolition”. It was a clear reference to the digging of recently-built Ferozepur Road. Shahbaz claimed the new road would be able to bear the load of a train as well. But there was no dearth of those who wondered about putting up with the extra cost when no train is ever going to be run on the route!

Government functionaries have their own take about their tacit support to such projects. Officers working with the CM are apologetic about their silence, but they are not going to say a word about the projects “for the sake of our self-esteem”, as they have to face rebuke (at times abuse) for speaking out against any irregularities in such schemes.

And in case their opposition stays, their position and posting do not. A senior official of the Parks and Horticulture Authority was transferred just for uttering the words, “let me conduct a study on it”, when Shahbaz sought beautification of the Kot Lakhpat Main Boulevard. Two provincial secretaries and as many commissioners have to lose their posts for suggesting minor adjustments in the ‘Sasti Roti’ project that consumed around Rs22 billion!