One of the defects in Pakistan's politics is that the prime minister is not popularly elected. He needs to persuade only 172 elected parliamentarians to vote for him. Even though his party may have won only thirty percent of the total votes cast, he can form the government. And to persuade them to vote for him, he promises them ministerial posts and other perks. The result is that there are too many ministers and advisors in his cabinet who enrich themselves instead of spending our tax money on health and education. The men who benefit are the "electables" who have a hell of a lot of money that they spend on getting elected by the gullible voters. They not only help in getting the prime minister elected, they can also blackmail him whenever they feel he's not helping them to get even richer than they already are.

Nawaz Sharif wants to get elected again (after being prime minister three times). I believe he should retire now, as he's crossed the age of 70 and has had heart problems in the past. In any case, he's not liked by those who wield power in the country. His younger brother is much better in administration and governance. He is a born diplomat, unlike Nawaz (who is not a good administrator and doesn't like opposition to his rule).

 

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