Islamabad : April 6,2024; Turing his trip to Saudi Arabia into a joyful ride for Sharifs and their relatives , Prime minister , Shahbaz Sharif , has proven that his words of austerity are just words which have nothing to do his practice in real life as chief executive of Pakistan . By adding Sharif family members and relatives in his entourage to his first sojourn to Saudi Arabia , Shahbaz Sharif has proven that his priority is to provide pleasures to Sharifs and their relatives . Incomplete details which flashed in the local media of Shahbaz Sharif ‘s entourage for Saudi Arabia for 3-day sojourn included Chief minister Punjab , Maryam Nawaz , her son Junaid , her son-in – law Mr Raheel . In am sure that more Sharifs and their relatives will figure on the list of Shahbaz Sharif’s entourage once complete list becomes public.
Prime minister , Shahbaz Sharif , did not forget to have Foreign minister , Ishaq Dar , in his entourage and how he could forget him . At least Ishaq Dar is a dear relative of Sharifs. This poor nation is bit surprised as to why Shahbaz Sharif did not take his elder brother– Nawaz Sharif– along for Saudi Arabia’s sojourn?. Shahbaz Sharif deserved more opportunity than his daughter now chief minister of Punjab–Maryam Nawaz. The people of Pakistan who are under killing inflationary pressure might have not objected to Maryam Nawaz ‘s joyful trip to Saudi Arabian with his uncle , had Mr prime minister taken other three chief ministers with him for Saudi Arabia’s visit.
Information ministry drummed for many days ahead of Saudi Arabia ‘s trip of the prime minister that who so ever goes with Mr Shahbaz Sharif who had promised to the nation to sell off his clothes in his last tenure to ward off them from unbearable price will pay for his/her air ticket . One wonders if this nation of poor pays only for tickets when its ruling elite have foreign trips? By the way , Shahbaz Sharif made grave mistake by leaving behind two sons of Nawaz Sharif– Hasan Nawaz and Husain Nawaz. They are in Pakistan to see how their sister was ruling in the Punjab and they were available for Saudi Arabia ‘s royal visit . But somehow Shahbaz Sharif forgot to take them to Saudi Arabia to let them see how Saudi royals treat Pakistani rulers when they go to them to beg for money. This time things are bit different . Mr prime minister is not in Saudi Arabia to beg for money or seek a bailout package . Rather he is there to offer Pakistan’s prime institutions like OGDC and Rekodiq to Saudis for ‘investment’. One wonders how Mr Prime minister of Pakistan will repeat his mantra of austerity in the public when he will return from Saudi Arabia ?
In his last 16- month tenure , Shahbaz Sharif had a 100-member cabinet and this poverty ridden nation paid for such a big cabinet , but Shahbaz Sharif kept preaching austerity to the masses. He is taking the same line again , he and his team are enjoying protocol which the rulers of even richest counties can not even dream of. but they are passing on burden of their luxuries. This devilish game is likely to continue no matter what price Pakistanis pay for it.