When Buzdar’s critics paint him as a failure with nothing tangible to show, Imran Khan predictably turns to cricket comparisons. “He will prove to be Wasim Akram Plus,” the PTI leader has said on multiple occasions, comparing Buzdar to Akram, whom he had picked from relative obscurity as Pakistan’s cricket team captain. But many compare Buzdar’s selection from Barthi with another cricketer, Mansoor Akhtar, in whose abilities the Kaptaan also had full faith but who did not click the way Akram and his other finds did.

Many scoff at the idea that Imran Khan selected Buzdar for the position solely because he was from an underdeveloped region that did not have electricity, water and a hospital. A PTI MPA points out that the region did not have these facilities “in spite of the fact that [Buzdar’s] father had been in active politics since the early 1980s and was thrice returned to the provincial assembly between 1985 and 2002.” “Did you or anyone else know his father or the man himself before he was nominated as chief minister?” asks the MPA from Lahore, speaking on the condition of anonymity.

Usman Buzdar addresses the Punjab Assembly after his election as chief minister | M.Arif/White star

“The man we were ordered to elect as the Leader of the House had made it to the provincial assembly for the first time and had no prior administrative experience to handle the Punjabi bureaucracy. Who would entrust such a man with such a huge responsibility of running the country’s most populous and politically most important province?” he asks. “We thought he may be a good man but he was not the right person for the job he had been given. Time has proved us right,” he chuckles.

CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn CLick here and earn

The cynicism about Buzdar’s ability to match his hyperactive predecessor, Shahbaz Sharif’s abilities wasn’t the only factor that caused an outrage among the PTI old guard. Buzdar was not only an unknown commodity in the political arena but his ties with the party were also rather recent. He had contested and lost the 2013 election for a provincial seat on a Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) ticket, a party he had joined after quitting Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q). He quit PML-N only a couple of months before the 2018 elections to join the Junoobi Punjab Sooba Mahaz (The Southern Punjab Province Front), which was formed by PML-N ‘dissidents’ led by Makhdum Khusro Bakhtiar, who is now the national food security minister. The Mahaz was merged with PTI after dissolution of the previous assemblies and the formation of a caretaker government to organise the polls.