If there is one thing that is constant in Pakistani politics, it is a certain cycle that repeats itself every few years – the political fortunes of those who were out of favour just a few months back miraculously turn for the better and voila they are back in the ‘good books’ of those that matter the most in our very hybrid system. This is what we are seeing once again with the return of PML-N supremo Mian Nawaz Sharif, who some observers say is being treated with kid-gloves by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) and the caretaker governments, both federal and Punjab. This sort of ‘relief’ is an eyeopener for those who had written off Nawaz from Pakistan’s politics following his lifetime disqualification and his imprisonment later. Observers back then were castigated for saying that no politician or political party should be written off because any leader or party that has people’s support will one day or the other make a comeback. About the ‘relief’ to Nawaz, political analysts also caution that one should not lose sight of the fact that the original sin were the cases themselves as was the way Nawaz unceremoniously ousted. When even his opponents now grudgingly admit that things were not as ‘clean’ as they had claimed back then, the whole situation gets more confusing. Would correcting these wrongs be a wrong? And in the course of correcting wrongs, how can new wrongs be avoided?
Nawaz Sharif’s main political opponent – PTI Chairman Imran Khan – has been indicted in the cipher case along with Shah Mahmood Qureshi. The PML-N seems quite confident that elections will take place early next year, in January or February, and it will make a comeback and form the next government. Nawaz Sharif’s first speech when he returned was about forgiveness and no revenge. It was viewed mainly as a sign that he was talking about his political opponents as well as the establishment and judiciary but others are of the view that it wasn’t aimed at forgiving Imran Khan.
There has also been much talk about the similarities between what is happening currently and what happened back in 2017-18. While there are some similarities for sure because of the changing political fortunes, it is also important to point out that back in 2017-18, the ‘red lines’ included political coverage – something that was never the case except in dictatorships. That said, the optics of the PTI chairman being behind bars as the previously out-of-luck-son Nawaz Sharif is feted are an uncomfortable sight. When we talk about a level playing field, ideally that would include all political leaders trying to woo voters – voters, no other stakeholders – for representation. For credible elections, it is important that all political parties are allowed to participate without any fear of retribution. Nawaz is the most seasoned mainstream political leader alive in the country. It is only fair for all political leaders to be accorded a fair chance to face each other in the elections. Have we not learnt a very hard way that any hint of ‘engineering’ only leads to an even bigger mess, an example of which we are living through these days?