Naveed Aman Khan
THE speech of Mian Nawaz Sharif on the occasion of APC on 20 September 2020 be evaluated in three ways. Firstly, his charge sheet against the Imran Khan-led government and establishment, secondly role of opposition and thirdly prevailing system. In the much-hyped PPP-hosted historic ‘All Parties Conference’ (APC) PML-N supremo Mian Nawaz Sharif after a long time broke the ice and delivered his flaring speech. In his speech Nawaz Sharif mainly said that the struggle of opposition was not against Premier IK but those who installed him into power through the rigged 2018 elections. He addressed the conference, aimed at devising a strategy to oust the PTI-led coalition government to send message to his voters and supporters. The speech marked the deposed Nawaz Sharif’s political comeback after more than a year. He has been in the UK since November last year for medical treatment. Opposition’s foremost priority is to remove IK’s government backed by this system. Nawaz Sharif believes that if change is not brought, it will bring irreversible loss to this country. “It is very important that our armed forces stay away from the governmental political matters and system according to our Constitution and the Quaid’s speech, and don’t interfere with the people’s choice. This hodgepodge situation has made this country a joke in our own eyes and internationally as well”, he continued. Because of mistakes of Imran Khan and Establishment, opposition came close and now because of strong message of opposition in APC, especially Nawaz Sharif, IK and Establishment have again joined hands. It is all set for head-on collision ahead.
Nawaz Sharif, Asif Ali Zardari, Shahbaz Sharif, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, Maulana Fazalur Rehman and other leaders were united in underscoring the need for a plan of action. Nawaz broke his silence. In his address, Mian Nawaz Sharif said even though he is away from his country, he knows very well what condition the country and the people are in. It is a decisive moment. It is necessary to protect democracy, constitution, society and the borders of the country and take fearless decisions. In an all-encompassing speech, centred on criticising the Imran Khan-led government, Nawaz spoke on the descending state of economy of the country, deteriorating international relations, muzzling of media and ascending corruption. Who couldn’t control electricity and gas bills high rates? Who could not control increase in sugar price and other commodities? The country’s leader keeps harping on about accountability but he himself is involved in raising sugar prices. Will no reference be filed against the one who is responsible for the price hike? The NAB, is carrying out only selective accountability.
When PML-N and PPP are out of the government is democracy in danger? Ousted Nawaz says, “If we don’t do it today, when will we”? He believes that the results of the conference should be purposeful otherwise masses will be disappointed. Pakistan has been constantly deprived of a true democratic system. When the vote is dishonoured by either, the entire democratic system becomes meaningless. When it is decided before the election process as to who will win and who will lose, it can be guessed how the masses are betrayed and how the mandate is always stolen. Now here the question arises. Is 2018 election stolen and manipulated only or it has always been happening in our country? Were all those elections also manipulated and engineered in which PML-N and PPP have been successful and governing at the Centre also? If the same also manipulated in the past when PML-N and PPP won the elections why both winning parties kept quiet? It reflects for PML-N and PPP its role in the past has been acceptable but not now. Have PML-N and PPP not encouraged the manipulating power in the past ? Will Nawaz Sharif and Asif Zardari like to clarify? Pakistan has become a laboratory of such experiments. Every one knows that no premier completes five years in power. All dictators have spent multiple years while premiers have seldom completed their term. When a dictator first came into the courtroom for violating the Constitution, what happened? Court gave dictators the right to play with the Constitution and acquitted someone who broke the Constitution twice whereas the ones who follow the Constitution faces the bar. Has long been a parallel government formula in practice in the country ? Nawaz said former Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani once pointed to “a state within a state” in Pakistan. “It is saddening that the situation has escalated to a state above the state.
This parallel government illness is the root-cause of our problems”, Nawaz added. I ask a question to Nawaz Sharif didn’t he know all of this situation earlier? When he came in power thrice has not been the same situation? Why while in power he didn’t utter speeches against these issues he is talking about? In the APC the politicians who spoke about the rotten system and role of establishment in the formation of the governments keeps quiet when in power. Why not they struggle and change the system and stop intervention of the establishment if any? There will be no answer from them. It’s ok when opting the same route you manage to get power and very bad when in opposition. Nawaz Sharif is always good when in power but speaks bitter truths when in opposition. Unfortunately, both PML-N and PPP leadership have never tried to reform our rotten system. Both too have never played positive role of opposition. Now raising hue and cry over the system and establishment will not easily work. Head on collision will rather cause serious damage to democracy and the nation. This rotten system suits to all stakeholders except the masses because it gives passage to them and clutches the helpless masses.
—The writer is book ambassador, columnist, political analyst and author of several books based in United Kingdom.
