Nawaz Sharif’s another return
THE return of PML-N Supremo Mian Nawaz Sharif is on the cards. If the stalwart wants to have a significant role in politics of the country, he has no other option but to return to his homeland before the 2023-general election.
With the arrival of Nawaz Sharif, the entire media will divert its attention towards the Supremo.
His return is going to determine the PMLN’s election momentum as the party tries to push back against its isolation from national politics.
Nawaz Sharif was sentenced to ten years in prison by the NAB over corruption charges. Nawaz Sharif, who was ousted by the country’s courts in a corruption case, maintained in the past that PML-N was being victimized due to his attempts to question the role of various non-elected institutions in domestic politics and in foreign and security policy.
On the other hand, the country’s judiciary as well as other major state institutions, not only denied Nawaz Sharif’s claims but also asserted that PML-N’s leadership has failed to curb corruption in its party ranks, which became the reason for his ouster.
Nawaz Sharif’s open criticism of the Establishment and his defiant posturing aimed at establishing civilian supremacy in the country are likely to lead to a wider confrontation among various state institutions, including the military.
The return of Nawaz Sharif to Pakistan will put the country’s upcoming general election into a state of zeal.
In the past, Nawaz Sharif’s criticism of the judiciary and the military was that PML-N was not going to have a fair chance going into the polls without any overt or covert intervention from different organs of the state.
For Nawaz Sharif, in the past, the efforts to isolate his political party were not just focused on pushing the former out of Pakistan’s political system, but were also aimed at weakening and dismantling his political organization.
Nawaz’s party under his umbrella relishes a comfortable relationship with the state institutions.
Politically, for Nawaz Sharif, the upcoming election is a do, or dies situation in terms of the future of his party.
If he decides against returning to Pakistan, his party may shamble and disintegrate. On the other hand, his return to Pakistan will keep the party united.
His return may give the judiciary and the military no option, but to take necessary actions to prevent the military from ever returning to power.
In the past, there were concerted efforts to keep Nawaz Sharif and his party out of power.
In the context of the present changed political circumstances in Pakistan, if Nawaz Sharif wins next general election, those opposing his return would prepare for a leader who will be more assertive, independent and defiant with his policy actions in the government.
The PML-N stalwart Nawaz Sharif’s return is aimed at raising the support of the bar, where he is not ready or willing to take a step back and just accept his political fate, which is being decided by various institutions in the country.
It follows that by coming back to Pakistan, Nawaz Sharif only confirms that he has no intention to make any compromises or sign agreements with any institution in Pakistan to safeguard his long-term political future.
Only time will tell if he is actually ready to question and challenge the role of various non-elected institutions in politics in future or if he has learnt the political ground reality and dynamics.
Return of Dar and his taking oath as federal finance minister, in fact, tells a different story. To rescue the Shehbaz government and economy of the country Dar as last hope has been brought to Pakistan.
Dar’s return will be followed by Nawaz Sharif. Reconciliation is the need of the time. Pakistan can’t afford polarization any more.
If we want to handle the unstable political and economic situation of the country, we will have to seriously sit down and address the issues wisely.
The country and the nation are facing serious issues of survival. We need to look at the exemplary political and economic stability of tens of the countries and learn lessons from them.
We need to learn serious lessons from the disintegration of Pakistan in 1971. The country and the nation can’t afford arrogance, impatience, intolerance and selfishness any longer.
For the sake of the country and our generations let us bury the decades old hatchets, join hands and work together to flourish.
Our nation desperately needs our result oriented efforts. All the stakeholders should have pity on our homeland and helpless nation. Incapability and incapacity of the stakeholders have ruined this nation.
Today we are hardly honoured elsewhere in the world. Pakistan is an atomic country and a big nation but today we are unable to rehabilitate our flood victims.
For rehabilitation we are begging for every sort of help from the international community. Just imagine Nepal has sent us rehabilitation goods for flood victims.
For the rehabilitation of flood victims, the response of our nation and politicians has been disappointing.
Enmity amongst politicians is causing disintegration and disparity amongst Pakistanis. Let’s positively think for a better tomorrow for our posterity. Let’s begin with the return of Nawaz Sharif.
—The writer is editor, book ambassador political analyst and author of several books based in Islamabad.
