Resting CM goes restive

Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi is a resting CM or a chief minister at rest. Some say he is completely at rest till the foreseeable future. But, I think that the CM (or even the Deputy PM) in him has not at all gone at rest. Instead, it has gone more restive with the passage of time and it is a fact that Pervaiz and his symbiotic cousin Ch Shujaat have not gone into hibernation. The latest development in the House of Chaudhrys is that the Chaudhrys’ restive nature, though different in degree and intensity from the restlessness of incumbent CM Punjab, Shahbaz Sharif, has started showing signs of life once again.

The latest manifestation is the dissolution of district bodies of Pakistan Muslim League also known as PML-Q, Q standing for Quaid.

The Q supremos — Pervaiz and Shujaat — say that by way of their latest moves, they would be breathing new life into the Q party that would now undergo massive transformation.

What transformation? This question has been bothering me for quite some time and its answer finally came the other day direct from the horse’s mouth, I mean, Ch. Pervaiz Elahi, who told me that the inner strength of his party was still intact and that the people still remembered the soft-and smiling governance of his tenure. Very difficult and complex situations would be tackled with ease and intelligent application of mind and wide consultations, Pervaiz said. “And name any development work or project, it was the top priority of the Punjab government under my supervision. To name a few, Wazirabad Cardiology Institute and Air Ambulance service were such welfare projects that were being vigorously looked after by PML-Q government but were abandoned in the midst by the successor government”, said Pervaiz.

But that isn’t enough Chaudhry Sahib, people wanted to know the philosophy of politics that PML-Q leadership was following.

I now realise that I asked the wrong question. These types of questions are not for the politicians to answer since politicians should never be expected to be philosophers. Gone are the days of philosopher kings among politicians, bureaucrats and other members of the ruling cliques.

In the area of transformation, however, Punjab Assembly has endeavoured to bring about some transformation (read relief) in the lives of browbeaten and beaten wives who have been receiving physical bashing at the hands of their violent husbands. 

A Bill has been accordingly passed in the Assembly which the ruffian husbands would be expelled from their ‘fiefdoms’ (in this male-dominated society) if they beat their womenfolk.

The punishment seems to be quite funny and might not be capable of proper implementation for obvious reasons. However, at this juncture, I would like to suggest establishment of a ‘Stray Husbands’ Home’ (on the pattern of Old Homes) for the husbands on forced leave.

It is about time that renowned educationist Ayesha Hamid’s newly set up Pakistan Freedom Movement took into account the freedom of beaten women or the freedom of expelled husbands so that freedom at last prevails in our hearths and homes without gender discrimination. 

mianrehman1@gmail.com