Unprecedented dilemma of pick & choose faced by Shehbaz, designated PM
At this point of time, Mian Shehbaz Sharif belonging to Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) after some hours later, he will be administered oath as Prime Minister of Pakistan which is the happiest news of his life but at the same time, one way or the other, very much undoubtedly he is experiencing very tough and difficult situation as well to be honest as to whom he should include in his cabinet of ministers or who can be ignored and not to be appointed as minister and despite the hard fact that even though for many years he as Chief Minister of Punjab, he had free hand to pick and choose ministers for his provincial government of Punjab but now the situation is much too different from previous governments and I can say with full confidence and conviction that for many weeks Shehbaz both independently and with consulting with his inner circle, has chalked out as to who will be included in his 1st ministerial cabinet but then he deletes some names and picks up other names as their replacements but then again he makes some more changes and still despite so many additions and deletions, all of them will not be named in the forthcoming cabinet for one reason or the other.
Let me elucidate and explain in quite crystal-clear terms without least shadow of doubt and of course in depth as to what are the peculiar pressing circumstances and the compelling reasons which give more trouble than pleasure to Mian Shebaz Sharif to finalize his cabinet of ministers. Quite obviously without slightest shadow of ifs and buts, Shehbaz is much awed and fearful as to how to guarantee that he is not PM only till next election due in 2023 but even after that also which is neither so easy nor so evident which, as such, demands his very concentrated and focused efforts not to lose the grip otherwise former prime minister Imran Khan Niazi deposed just couple of days back on is very much in the run to not just to win again but completely sweep in the next election so that he certainly occupies again the office of prime minister which quite naturally, is neither liked nor will be liked by Shehbaz to quit prime minister office but this itself demands deep thinking and very judicious approach on the his part otherwise Shehbaz could again be doomed like before.
First and the foremost obligation for Shehbaz is to select only those persons to be inducted as his federal ministers who are very popular, energetic, resourceful, enjoying command and great respect in their respective constituencies so that they can comfortably win in next election. They of course, must be very good orator and speech deliverer knowing the art of conveying the message and convincing others duly punctuated with the quality of great crowd puller for the simple cogent reason that unless and until bulk majority of the people like him, attend his public addresses, his chances to win in next election could be very much doubtful which in turn is nothing but deadly against Shehbaz himself so he cannot and should not under all the circumstances must not be mistaken on selecting a cabinet minister.
Till 2018, PML (N) headed by Shehbaz’s elder brother Mian Nawaz Sharif had been on the throne in a sense that Mian Nawaz Sharif himself was the prime minister and ever since, Supreme Court, has disqualified Nawaz, he had to leave the office and Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, of course belonging to PML (N), took over as next prime minister and it is quite but natural that all those who were ministers before Imran took over as prime minister would like be ministers again but the problem is that Nawaz had fleet of federal ministers, state ministers, advisors and special assistants so if the whole lot is included in the 1st cabinet then perhaps just a very few new faces can be added to 1st cabinet. Pick and choose is not that easy in any case.
Shehbaz old colleagues who had been ministers with him in Punjab are very much eagerly waiting to be called and appointed ministers again and certainly it will be very difficult for him as to who be included in the federal cabinet but nevertheless, it is quite but natural that Shehbaz cannot appoint all of them and at the same time he cannot ignore the whole lot in any case so whom to honor and whom not to honor is a real rough and tough job for him at this point of time.
All those 84 MNAs of PML (N) who had won the election in 2018 and had been sitting on opposition benches now must be thinking day and night to be appointed as minister or state minister or advisor or even special assistant but practically speaking if all 84 are appointed then it means that not only it will be very much impossible for him to exercise his authority to pick up just a few only but the question is as who are the fortunate to be honored alike.
Shehbaz simply cannot ignore those 22 MNAs who been elected on PTI tickets but deserted PTI few weeks before and switched over their loyalties towards PML (N) and they were promised that ever since they are joining opposition and adding extra strength to opposition which as such very positively contribute towards throwing out PM Imran and in return they must now be included in the power corridor of Islamabad and on the face of it, perhaps it will be practically impossible to accommodate all of them.
Quite but naturally Nawaz Sharif being the head of PML (N) will definitely give some names to his younger brother Shehbaz to be inducted in the very 1st cabinet and not later but the question is as to how many names will be given by Nawaz and can all be honored alike.
Shehbaz’s wife, son, other relatives, friends, neighbors and class fellows will also forward some names to be obliged and of course a token of them can only be appointed but not all, of course, though it will be hell of a job for Shehbaz as to whom be obliged and whom be ignored.
Panel of advocates who had been consulted by Shehbaz Sharif in connection with ouster of PM Imran Khan Niazi are also queued up to become minister or advisor but in such case, Shehbaz will be obliged to toss as to which lawyer simply cannot be ignored.
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Lastly, Shehbaz Sharif is to pick up some new faces in any case because at this point of time his political party PML (N) has just 84 seats which are too less hence the prevailing situation itself demands that right from today, Shehbaz must on the run so as to bring at least 200 new faces under his umbrella so that in 2023, he does not face any problem so as to earn maximum seats in the next elections to form the government.
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Iqbal Hadi Zaidi / Kuwait /
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