The PPP-led government has completed its first 100 days in office and as it is customary it is time to review its performance. Ironically, Sherry Rehman claims that no other government had done more than the PPP in its first 100 days in power and it had the mandate and continuing popular support to carry out its policies. But she couldn’t count more than what she proudly projected as her government’s big achievement – initiation of Rs 34 of 50 billion Benazir Bhutto income transfer scheme. Failing to fund another measure or move, which she could say was an achievement she insisted that the UN acceptance of a probe into Benazir Bhutto’s killing was a great success of the present government. ‘We have ensured the supply of atta at utility stores’, which will be in full supply in a month’s time. Ironically, she linked the administrative measure with her government’s ‘priority to agriculture’. What a far-fetched idea to assert that the government after all has a sense of direction. It was pertinent to remind the spokesperson of the PPP government that she had conveniently overlooked a large number of issues, which were raised by Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani in his maiden speech in the National Assembly as his ‘top priority’ for 100 days.
  It has been a thoroughly disappointing show, is the consensus among critics. In none of the three main fields of governmental activity – governance, law and order and economy, there has been any improvement since the democratically elected government took over in Islamabad. The prices of essential commodities have achieved an all-time ‘high’, while the law and order situation remains at an all time ‘low’, and the state of governance remains as it was during the Musharraf regime. The high profile question of the restoration of deposed judges, which was the number one issue on the coalition’s agenda, has been marginalised, while the PPP initiated constitutional package has been kept on suspended animation. Above all the government does not appear to have a policy direction or a sense of priorities to follow and the prime minister looks like a proxy, who is seen as being manoeuvred through remote control. One wonders why it has been necessary for Asif Ali Zardari to base his camp office in Dubai and summon the PPP high ups over there for frequent consultations and advice.
  The latest one heard from Dubai was that a cabinet reshuffle and enlargement was in the offing. Zardari may have other reasons to bringing-in new faces, but if he thinks by giving the cabinet a new look he can manage to improve the public image of the government in Islamabad, he is seriously mistaken. It does not matter to the people as to who holds which portfolio as long as the government delivers. President Musharraf today has the lowest ever public rating, but the democratically elected PPP government would not be far behind in public disapproval, if it continues to function as it has been in its first hundred days. As time passes on the chance are that Zardari who has been blowing hot and cold over relations with Musharraf may miss the bus of ensuring his early exit from the Presidency. The question of Musharraf’s ‘impeachment’, as it stands today has been put on the ‘backburner’, while the besieged president has been making more efforts to outgrow his political isolation, as he did during the Asia-cup finals at Karachi, than Zardari and company are bothering to salvage their public reputation.
  That the coalition has still been holding together is perhaps the only achievement, which Islamabad could take credit. It could have fallen apart on the question of judges’ restoration. But there were multifarious reasons for them to stick together, on top of the last being Nawaz Sharif’s vested interest in salvaging the government in Punjab.
Nonetheless, the coalition partners have to sooner or later face the moment of truth over the question of the rehabilitation of judges an issue, which cannot be swept under the carpet for a longer time than it has already taken. Asif Ali Zardari may be advised to stop running the government in Islamabad through remote control and let Yousuf Raza Gilani be his own prime minister. Let him falter and make mistakes but this is the only way through which, he may facilitate the building of Prime Minister Office into a genuine Chief Executive’s job.