Poor masses and rulers’ prerogative

Punjab Chief Minister Chaudhry Parvez Elahi has recently announced that lawyers’ housing colonies would be established in every tehsil and district of the province and their families would be provided free medical facilities equal to gazetted officers. During a meeting with a delegation of Supreme Court lawyers, the Chief Minister announced the immediate restoration of the public defender act, which will accommodate around 1500 lawyers. According to him, he has always prioritized the welfare of the legal fraternity while issues of Supreme Court lawyers will be resolved on a priority basis. The Chief Minister assured the lawyers that practical work would be visible in the next few days while his doors were always open to the lawyers’ community.

Chaudhry Pervez Elahi is a seasoned politician who has witnessed multiple ups and downs of politics during his over four decades of a political career. He recently gained the throne of Punjab Chief Minister for a short period after one and a half decades of a painful interval, so he is vigorously pursuing his agenda to retain his chair after the next poll in 2023. Historically, Pakistani politicians have inherited kingly habits and princely traditions so as they gain power they open up the tape of the national exchequer for their supporters and influential of the society including senior lawyers, media persons as well as the top brass of civilian bureaucracy for their positive image projection, resolution of legal snags and subsequent utilization of government officials to reach the high offices in the future.

Presently, one-third of the country and the entire Southern Punjab has submerged in flood water and displaced people are living in miserable conditions in the flood relief camps. After a formal visit to the flood-hit region and a flashy examination of a few state-run relief camps in a controlled environment, Elahi could not spare time to revisit the flood-hit masses. However, Punjab Chief Minister is vigorously lobbying to reunite his party and investing heavily to secure his position. In fact, Chief Minister should invest in the public and speed up flood relief activities if he intends to grab the support of the masses in the long run, otherwise, go-getters are loyal to their interests only.