Shehbaz Sharif, challenges and his cabinet

Shehbaz Sharif, the newly-elected Prime Pinister of Pakistan, has a tough job ahead of him. He took office after a disputed general election that was tainted by allegations of rigging and manipulation, and that sparked protests and threats from the main opposition party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), to derail the new assembly.

Meanwhile, Pakistan faces a host of crises, from poverty and inflation to security and climate change and population explosion, each of which could have disastrous consequences if left unaddressed.

Shehbaz Sharif, who is known for his administrative skills and punctuality, needs a competent and dedicated cabinet to steer the country out of the current quagmire. He cannot afford to rely on the likes of Ahsan Iqbal, Chaudhry Tariq Fazal Chaudhry and Rana Tanvir Hussain, who failed to deliver when they were in charge of vital ministries such as the planning commission, the education ministry, and the now defunct CADD Ministry. He also has to fend off the challenges from the PTI, which questions his legitimacy and accuses him of being corrupt, incompetent, and subservient to the military.

Shehbaz Sharif, who has vowed to deliver on his party’s manifesto, must prioritize at least four major issues facing Pakistan: engaging and accommodating the unskilled youth, controlling the population explosion, tackling the climate change, and curbing the corruption. The planning ministry, under Ahsan Iqbal’s leadership, failed to devise effective short-term and long-term plans to address these issues.

One of the most urgent tasks for Shehbaz Sharif is to reform the education system and make it relevant and responsive to the needs of the market and the society. He must form a team of national and international experts to overhaul the obsolete and outdated curriculum that was imposed by the previous PTI government. He must retire the teachers who have spent more than 20 years in service and hire competent youngsters to train and equip the students with the skills required for the modern economy. He must make technical and computer courses compulsory in schools and colleges and ensure that the teachers undergo regular training and refresher courses. The PTI government introduced a highly religious and backward curriculum but never trained the teachers on how to implement it. Shehbaz Sharif must focus on this and introduce a new forward-looking and progressive curriculum with teachers’ training being a vital part of it.

He must also reform the Higher Education Commission, which has failed to enforce merit-based admissions in universities, which is a universal practice around the world. He must ensure that the universities enroll only those applicants who pass a basic test that assesses their aptitude and interest. He must also ensure that the universities produce graduates who can contribute to the policy making and innovation of the country. Those who cannot get admission to universities should be sent to technical institutions where they can learn skills that match their aptitude and earn money once they enter the market.

Another pressing issue for Shehbaz Sharif is to address the population explosion, which puts immense pressure on the limited resources and infrastructure of the country. Pakistan’s population is estimated to be around 220 million, and is projected to reach 400 million by 2050, making it the fourth most populous country in the world. The high population growth rate is attributed to the low literacy rate, especially among women, the lack of family planning services and awareness, the cultural and religious norms that favour large families, and the absence of a coherent population policy.

He must ensure the availability and accessibility of quality family planning services and commodities, especially in the rural and remote areas. He must launch a mass media campaign to raise awareness and change attitudes towards family planning and reproductive health. He must involve the religious and community leaders, the civil society organizations, and the media in the advocacy and promotion of family planning. He must allocate adequate funds and resources for the population sector and monitor and evaluate the progress and impact of the interventions.

Another major challenge facing Pakistan is the climate change, which poses a serious threat to the environment, the economy, and the security of the country. Pakistan is ranked among the most vulnerable countries to the adverse effects of climate change, such as floods, droughts, heat waves, cyclones, glacial melt, sea level rise, and desertification. These effects have resulted in loss of lives, displacement of people, damage to infrastructure, reduction in agricultural productivity, increase in food insecurity, spread of diseases, and social unrest.

Shehbaz Sharif must take urgent and effective measures to mitigate and adapt to the climate change. He must implement the National Climate Change Policy and the National Action Plan on Climate Change, which were formulated in 2012 but have not been fully operationalized. He must enhance the capacity and coordination of the relevant institutions and stakeholders to deal with the climate change issues. He must promote the use of renewable and clean energy sources, such as solar, wind, and hydro, and reduce the dependence on fossil fuels, such as coal, oil, and gas. He must improve the efficiency and conservation of energy and water, and adopt green and sustainable practices in the industrial and agricultural sectors. He must increase the forest cover and protect the biodiversity and ecosystems of the country. He must seek the international cooperation and assistance for the financing and technology transfer for the climate change mitigation and adaptation.

The last but not the least issue that Shehbaz Sharif must tackle is the corruption, which is widely perceived as the root cause of all the problems and evils in the country. Pakistan ranks low on the Transparency International’s Corruption Perceptions Index, and is considered as one of the most corrupt countries in the world. Corruption is rampant and pervasive in all the sectors and levels of the society, and affects the governance, the economy, the justice, and the public service delivery. Corruption erodes the trust and confidence of the people in the state institutions and the political system, and undermines the democracy and the rule of law.

Shehbaz Sharif must demonstrate his commitment and resolve to fight and eliminate corruption from the country. He must strengthen and empower the anti-corruption agencies and institutions, such as the National Accountability Bureau, the Federal Investigation Agency, and the Auditor General of Pakistan, and ensure their independence and impartiality.

 He must reform and modernize the civil service and the judiciary, and enhance their professionalism and integrity. He must promote the culture of merit and ethics in the public and private sectors, and encourage the participation and oversight of the civil society and the media in the anti-corruption efforts.

In conclusion, Shehbaz Sharif’s cabinet selection process is a critical determinant of Pakistan’s trajectory in the face of myriad challenges. By appointing competent and visionary leaders, Sharif can steer the nation towards stability and prosperity. However, success hinges on his ability to embrace innovation, enact meaningful reforms, and navigate the complexities of governance in a rapidly evolving global landscape. Only through decisive action and inclusive leadership can Pakistan overcome its challenges and realize its full potential.