FORMER Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and PML-N supremo has decided to return from London to Pakistan before parliamentary elections 2023. He will lead his party in the forthcoming elections. In a controversial case he has been facing life time disqualification. Before leaving for London in November 2019 he was thrown in jail by the then Prime Minister Imran Khan. The PMLN leader Nawaz Sharif has been successfully leading his party from London. To mobilize his party and PMLN voters he is returning after four years. Before his arrival Parliament will clear all the legal complications and hurdles of his cases.
After 9 May attacks PTI is in real trouble. All except Imran Khan have condemned the attacks. The responsibility of the attacks was levelled on PTI leadership. Thousands of the miscreants involved in the attacks were arrested. Out of thousands initially sixteen attackers were handed over to the military courts for trial. Since 9 May Imran Khan has become burden for PTI leaders. Over one hundred- and twenty-party leaders have left PTI. More prominent PTI politicians will leave Imran Khan and PTI including Asad Umar, Shah Mehmood Qureshi, Murad Saeed, Ali Muhammad Khan and Asad Qaiser. Humayun Akhtar, son of former Director General ISI Akhtar Abdur Rehman has also parted ways with the party.
The PTI Chairman Imran Khan will be arrested and tried in a military court against charges of rebellion, sedation and terrorism levelled on him after 9 May tragedy. He has already been facing different corruption cases as well. Fearing trials in military courts politicians are leaving Imran Khan and PTI. During his trial in military court no reaction will be seen publicly. If he is sentenced masses will not react. Politics in the country will be far better post his sentence. People know that Imran Khan, his companions and followers have crossed red line. Now all those in 9 May incidents involved will face consequences and pay the price of their conduct.
China, Turkey and Saudi Arabia will be happy to see him sentenced while America, India and western world will be unhappy on his end. Cunning Imran Khan apparently opposed America but practically took care of American, Indian and western interests. India was very happy during his rule because he halted CPEC, kept quiet on Indian occupation of Kashmir (IoK), weekend institutions and attacked military installations. Destroying country undoubtedly, he pleased worst enemies of the country. He practically halted multiple billion dollars project of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). This is why China doesn’t want him to come back in power and damage CPEC at far larger scale. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is also unhappy with Imran Khan. Saudi Arabia, China and Turkey will be unhappy if Imran Khan comes in power again. During his more than three and a half year term of premiership Pakistan bare unaffordable political, diplomatic and financial losses.
Three-time Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif is ready to contest parliamentary elections from Lahore to become Prime Minister for the fourth time. Punjab is densely populated and biggest province of the country. Because of its population and maximum seats in the National Assembly this province is very important for PMLN, PTI and PPP. This province is strong hold of PMLN. The PTI is number two as for as popularity in the province is concerned. In Punjab the PPP is weaker than PMLN and PTI. The PMLN and PTI will be strong contestants in Punjab in particular and in the country in general. After 9 May violent attacks on GHQ, Corps Commander House Lahore, F C Headquarters Peshawar, ISI office Faisalabad, PAF bases in Sargodha and Mianwali, defence installations, Radio Pakistan Peshawar, Askri Plaza. etc. Because of 9 May attacks
Politics of PTI is completely finished. Onwards to this moment political future of Chairman PTI Imran Khan is dark. He and his party will lose elections. In Sindh province PPP will once again form government along with MQM. In Khyber Pakhtoonkhwa (KP) province Chairman (JuI-F) Maulana Fazal-ur-Rehman will be stronger candidate to form government. In Balouchistan government will be formed with dominant seats of (JuI-F), Balochistan Awami Party(BAP) and Balochistan National Party (BNP- M).
Far before parliamentary elections Imran Khan will either face five-year disqualification, exile, life imprisonment, or death sentence. Nawaz Sharif will be relevant and Imran Khan will be irrelevant in the forthcoming elections. However, Nawaz Sharif will have close contest with Chairman PPP Bilawal Bhutto Zardari for the slot of premiership. Patron-in-Chief of newly announced political party Istehkaam-e-Pakistan Party (IPP) Jahangir Khan Tareen will also be the candidate for premiership. Hence Nawaz Sharif will be the strongest candidate. Imran Khan’s party is over.
—The writer is editor, book ambassador political analyst and author of several books based in Islamabad.
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