Islamabad: “A picture is worth 1,000 words”.
That is how Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan captioned the photo of Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar that he posted on social media adding, “This is Naya Pakistan” (new Pakistan).
In the photograph, Buzdar is seen sitting with tribal elders in southern Punjab, apparently listening to their grievances.
There is no sign in the picture of the VIP culture and usual distance maintained between a chief executive of a province and the general public, and perhaps this is why Imran has chosen to upload the picture on his twitter account.
Buzdar not only sat and listened to residents of rural Punjab, dressed in traditional clothes with turbans over their heads; he also provided them tea.
Of late, Buzdar has been holding meetings while keeping a low profile.
However, the pictures from his recent meeting with the tribal elders of the Punjab have won him praise even from his party leader and Prime Minister Imran Khan.
Buzdar was Imran’s choice for the office of chief minister in Pakistan’s most populated province.
The picture has perhaps provided Imran temporary relief from criticism over his choice of chief minister, which had put him under pressure not only from outside but within the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party.
To all his critics, Khan has been insisting that time would prove him correct as he thinks Buzdar the best choice for the Punjab.
Report card
Buzdar too perhaps aware of the immense pressure over his boss and public expectations has expedited the reforms process in the province taking a number of steps aimed towards change and general good of the people.
Meanwhile Buzdar, while sharing a report of the first 100 days in office for his government in Punjab at a recent meeting presided over by Imran Khan, said the Sehat Insaf Card programme was being launched in January 2019 — in four districts in the first phase — which would be expanded across the whole province in phases.
He also said 12.5 million saplings had been planted in the province during the first 100 days of the PTI’s government.
These and various other steps taken by his government include shelters for the homeless, the appointment of women to senior positions in various departments and institutions, four new technical universities, eight special small industrial zones, constitution of Good Governance Advisory Council, steps to boost agriculture and a new Education Policy.
