Tears in cabinet

There are the tears we weep and the tears we rip, both on view in Sunday’s cabinet meeting in Karachi. There was a glimpse of the back-story that prompted the unscripted outburst by Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan, the federal minister for information. She spoke of ‘hurdles’ created, by civil servants perhaps, affecting her efficiency as a minister. What those hurdles were was never detailed, but she said she needed her own team in the ministry if she was ever to perform satisfactorily. Prime Minister Gilani was somewhat taken aback at this impromptu exposure of life at the top not being the bed of roses that some might imagine. He later rejected the resignation and Firdous resumed her role with a promise that her grievances would be addressed.
Ministers come and go as do governments, but bureaucrats may be a lifetime appointment, serving under (at least in theory) several governments. The civil service is supposed to be neutral, to advise the often inexperienced ministers who they are presented with and to facilitate them in such a way as to get the best from the individual and the ministry they head up. A weak minister is easy prey for the sharks that live in the office. She is the third person to hold the post of information minister since the PPP came to power, and neither of her predecessors appeared much happier than she is. She lacks the polish and intellectual heft of Sherry Rehman who resigned on a matter of principle; and it is not difficult to see her discomfort and downright amateurish performances on talk shows and interactions with the media generally as an indicator that she may not be the best person for the job. Yet a third possibility is that Firdous’ unexpected outburst is symptomatic of the internal tears in the fabric of the PPP government itself. She may have been handed her job back for the time being, but in the background there may be a Pied Piper playing a new tune, one that may persuade Dr Firdous to dance with a different step.

Copyright Thenews 27.12.2011