THE PPP-led government did not have competent people to run administration, such as the finance ministry. It needed to get people from outside the party.

Now, the PML-N government struggles with policy-making, has no able foreign minister and relies on advisers from within the available lot while the PM holds multiple portfolios.

This micromanagement style of governance where a CM or a PM has to intervene in matters of low importance is never going to work for the civilian leadership. Whenever there is a cause for grievance amongst people on any issue, they cry for help from the CM or the PM to fix it.

Where is the rest of the machinery, where is the chain of command, where are the checks and balances at the lower level?

With this performance, it is obvious that the only disciplined institution will take matters into its hands. It’s the incapable civilian political elite which invites THE military to get involved in matters in which it is not supposed to get involved. It is politicians who should make decisions and take responsibility for those decisions.

Anas A. Khan

Edmonton, Canada

Published in Dawn, January 26th, 2015

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