Nawaz's 10-point agenda: government yet to show real commitment

The government has yet to show a real commitment to Pakistan Muslim League (N) Quaid Nawaz Sharif's 10-point reform agenda other than to constitute a committee that has met thrice in 19 days, informed sources told Business Recorder.
Nawaz on January 27 expressed dissatisfaction over the progress made so far in the execution of the reform agenda while chairing a consultative meeting of the party's leadership at Punjab House and was also concerned over the lethargic attitude and non-seriousness on the part of the government.
No significant progress has been made on the reform agenda so far since Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani agreed to act on the proposals that mainly call for good governance and include economic reforms, elimination of corruption along with removal of all ministers implicated in multibillion rupee scams, reducing unnecessary government expenditure within 45 days.
The Prime Minister, in a telephonic conversation on January 9, accepted the reform agenda. Since then, no significant progress has been made except for formation of a committee and three sub-committees. It was decided earlier that the two main parties in the parliament would finalise recommendations on most of the issues highlighted in the 10-point reform agenda during the third round of talks on January 26; however no consensus was agreed on a time line.
The PML-N's four-member committee headed by Senator Ishaq Dar, is scheduled to meet again with the government committee headed by Finance Minister Abdul Hafeez Sheikh on January 31 and again on February 2 to finalise recommendations on petroleum pricing formula, curbing inflation and rationalising electricity and gas load shedding on the recommendation of the three different sub-committees that comprise members from the two parties, sources added. Analysts are of the view it is high time for us to take result-oriented and quick steps to put the things in order irrespective of any deadline or timeframe rather to constitute committees after committees.
Former Finance Minister Dr Salman Shah told Business Recorder that so far no significant breakthrough could be made, however, it depends on PPP and PML-N whether to give a general direction to all the issues or to redress these specifically. Both the parties should move forward on the reforms agenda, whether it is decision making on the reformed general sales tax or any other issue.