Power corridors are writing a new story for Punjab, a new chapter in the red book of the province is expected to be included. The power of these corridors is backed by the public sentiment. The same province which was governed by PML-N’s governance aficionado Shehbaz Sharif for a period of ten years, showed him the way out of his office which PML-N had thought to pass on to one from a couple of nominations once Shehbaz is elevated to the position of Prime Minister.
Number of votes aside, everything was turning against Shehbaz Sharif, from procurement of laptops for bright students of Punjab, to Punjab Educational Endowment Fund, safe drinking water project, energy projects and housing projects – there were serious allegations regarding the projects which Shehbaz Sharif always took pride in. PML-N and national observers were of the view that these signature projects were solid items to sell and fetch votes again until these projects were polluted with corruption and acts of moral turpitude. The way Shehbaz Sharif government was cleared in the Multan Metro case by Chinese counterpart of SECP, CSRC and the public apology by the Chinese firm, washed away all the allegations against the project and Shehbaz Sharif. Shehbaz Sharif was taken into custody by NAB on October 5 but court order regarding his bail plea in Lahore High Court spoke in favour of the ex chief minister Punjab. Then one of the biggest project of Shehbaz’s lifetime which he thought was big enough to outshine all other projects and was one little contribution towards mankind in return of the second chance he was given after survival from cancer, was brought under the suo motu target in March 2018 and finally after a year, PKLI’s case is settled. Dr. Saeed Akhtar is allowed to travel abroad and project is hopefully out of the controversies which damaged its reputation and that of the doctors who sacrificed their millions minting jobs abroad for the sake of their homeland. And now it’s about the laptop scheme, after the new governments were formed, the laptop distribution had come almost to a halt and Shehbaz was accused of irregularities in the scheme but in the answer submitted by the higher education department in the provincial assembly, it has been clearly mentioned that there were no such malpractices in the process. Laptops were bought in line with procurement rules and lowest bidder was awarded the contract. PTI kept on accusing Shehbaz Sharif for misuse of power and corruption in this case and during it’s own government PTI has given a clean chit to the ex chief minister Punjab? PTI must start focusing on regaining trust, public trust, else it would damage the repute in a way that it’s going to cost them Pakistan’s most populous province.
