POLITICAL temperature has risen further with two important developments on Monday – arrest of PML(N) leader and Leader of the Opposition Mian Shahbaz Sharif and indictment of the PPP leader and former President Asif Ali Zardari. Though the Government is linking these developments to the legal process but the Opposition is terming it as part of the process of political victimization.
The arrest of Mian Shahbaz Sharif was imminent after filing of an accountability reference against him while Asif Ali Zardari and his sister Faryal Talpur have been indicted by an accountability court in the money-laundering reference. There is no doubt that relevant legal provisions have been invoked in both the cases but the Opposition is irked because of repeated statements of the Government leaders about possible arrest and conviction of its leadership and timings of the move. It is an open secret that the money-laundering cases against PPP leaders is seeing ups and downs as per political developments and arrest of Shahbaz also has political connotations, as per perception of the Opposition. There have been rumours about possible arrest of Nawaz ever since he returned to Pakistan from London during height of Coronavirus but these have materialized at a time when the Opposition has joined hands to launch an anti-government movement. Maryam Nawaz believes Shahbaz has been targeted because of his steadfast support to Nawaz, who is under renewed criticism following his unconventional address to the All Parties Conference through video link from London. PML(N) is also apprehensive that the move has something to do with upcoming local bodies elections and polls in Gilgit-Baltistan as the Government wants a free hand in Punjab and GB where PML(N) has significant presence and popularity, a claim that has been dubbed as ‘ridiculous’ by Information Minister of Punjab Fayyazul Hassan Chohan. Claims and counter-claims notwithstanding, the fact remains the arrest is negation of the fundamental principles of justice as there was no justification for arrest, jailing or vilification of an accused before the allegations are proved before the court of law. Legal team of PML(N) leader argues 58-volume reference contains no substantial documentary evidence to establish the charges against Shahbaz and that there was nothing except for the opinion of the investigation officer (IO) in the reference. The team also argues Shahbaz was answerable for his own doings, and not for his children’s. There have been numerous instances when people especially those belonging to the Opposition were arrested mere on suspicion of their involvement in wrong-doings but NAB could not prove the charges despite passage of months and years. No one would oppose the accountability process but it must be fair and transparent and it is also of utmost importance that cases should be allowed to be handled by the NAB without verbal frontal attacks by politicians from both sides. The impression of political victimization of the Opposition must be taken care of as it has much to do with strengthening of the democratic process and smooth functioning of the system. The Government, therefore, needs to review its policy of handling the Opposition and focus should shift to dialogue and not confrontation.
