The recent unwise decisions of the government, impacting the masses, have provided a ground to the opposition to have deliberations for launching a protest movement against the government under the banner of “Save Punjab.” Main opposition party will be hosting an All Parties Conference to work a protest strategy and comprehensive plan in consultation with other opposition parties, currently estranged and former allies of the ruling PTI. PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari will be having crucial meeting with PML-N President Shabaz Sharif, for which the former will come to Lahore. PML-N Secretary General, Ahsan Iqbal have mentioned few substantive issues in his press conference in Lahore on Saturday, which will form a basis for the protest movement. He said that that government is privitising healthcare system and has abandoned the higher education. The rebuttals of government ministers do not reveal as to why the healthcare and higher education has reached this plight. They are not tracing the roots of deterioration in healthcare and education to devolution of certain subjects from the center to provinces under 18th Amendment. The leaders of opposition are still misleading the people, particularly the youth, that provision of higher education is the sole responsibility of Higher Education Commission of Pakistan. Likewise, provision of effective health cover is the responsibility of provincial governments for which federal government used to provide needed financial assistance before 7th NFC Award. The MTI Act in Khyber Pukhtunkhwa has made the delivery of health facilities expensive for the people of low and middle income classes in addition to doing away with the chain of command for smooth functioning of government hospitals. The same system is now being introduced in Punjab, the implementation of which is being resisted by medical fraternity. The abnormal hike in the prices of petroleum products, wheat flour shortages and high food inflation will provide lethal ammunition to opposition at time of no stop to decisions that are influenced by unelected but powerful advisors who have no stakes in the country.
