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| Riding crest of a wave |
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Monday, September 03, 2007
By Ansar Abbasi
ISLAMABAD: Intelligence agencies have reported that there has been a phenomenal rise in the popularity graph of Nawaz Sharif and if he returns to Pakistan according to his announced schedule, he would be invincible because of his fame.
A top official source in Lahore, referring to the intelligence reports that were prepared and filed before the latest Supreme Court’s decision in the Sharifs case, said that Benazir Bhutto’s desperation for a deal with General Musharraf had made Nawaz the most popular leader in Pakistan.
In their assessment of the ground situation, these agencies indicated that the Punjab had slipped out of the hands of both the ruling Q-League and Benazir Bhutto and was now sympathetic towards Nawaz Sharif.
“According to the agencies’ estimation, out of the total 13 National Assembly seats in Lahore, at least, 11 will go to the PML-N,” the source revealed, adding that the agencies had a similar assessment about other parts of urban Punjab.
After the Sharif brothers’ recent win over the government in the Supreme Court where they had successfully fought for their right to return, and following their announcement to come back on September 10, it is generally agreed that Nawaz is all set to attain new heights of popularity. There are many, including those representing the government and the ruling League, who still insist that Nawaz would not return as per his announcement. Such voices refer to the possible intervention of Saudi rulers to prevent the former prime minister from returning as per his announced schedule.
In case he comes to Pakistan on September 10 despite the official threats and claims, Nawaz is expected to get an unprecedented reception, particularly in the Punjab. However, in case Nawaz fails to fly back home as hinted by some ruling party leaders and certain ministers, his ascendancy would vanish.
Only till early this year just before Benazir Bhutto got herself soiled in the deal business, Nawaz was nowhere in the sight and was not figuring prominently in the future set-up. Rather, some of the leading PML-N members in their background briefings used to say that they see their role only in the post-Musharraf scenario. They had never thought that within months, the party would re-emerge, from nowhere to its past glory.
On the contrary, the Benazir-led PPP was considered the most popular while PML-Q was expected to show good results mainly because of “engineered elections”. However, Benazir Bhutto’s deal mantra that she started a few months ago badly dented her standing as well as that of the party. It was her secret meeting with President Musharraf early last month in Abu Dhabi that, instead of fetching any benefit, landed them in a serious trouble.
The PPP that was always considered a pro-democracy party is in utter confusion today with Benazir openly involved in a deal-dialogue with Musharraf. Even in her Saturday’s press conference, she sounded confused and did not know on which side of the divide she stood.
Official reports, the sources said, have even informed the ruling elite that the news about Musharraf-Benazir deal had also left the ruling PML-Q high and dry and severely tarnished the image of the president, who has been declaring Benazir a plunderer and looter during the last eight years.
Interestingly, the parties involved in the deal business for their respective political dividends now appear to have become losers, leaving the third party with prospects of reaping all the benefit.
Ch Shujaat Hussain is cognizant of the fact that the future of his party is doomed against the backdrop of the on-going deal-dialogue with the PPP. He has conveyed his strong reservations to the president and warned him against succumbing to the demands of Benazir Bhutto. The ruling PML is experiencing serious cracks in its structure. Some have already left the party and many are sitting on the fence, waiting for an opportune time to jump.
The senior PPP leadership is too frustrated and is clueless as to who would be the party’s friend and foe in the political battlefield. Though most of them curse Benazir for negotiating with the General, there is hardly anyone who would dare to raise voice of dissent in front of her.
According to the correspondent of a newspaper who covered the central executive committee meeting of the PPP, no one amongst the PPP leaders differed with her policies. Instead, she was reported as saying that those who don’t agree with her policies were at the liberty to leave the party.
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ISSN 1563-9479 
