The shortcomings of our political order became apparent once again following the dramatic revelations in the Panama Papers. The political class was in a spin, and the kaptaan of all agitations once again started fantasising about forcing the prime minister from office for something his name did not figure in. Nawaz Sharif took the challenge seriously enough to address the nation twice on primetime TV.
The government too went into overdrive by drafting its own wishful terms of reference for a judicial inquiry by the Supreme Court as demanded by the opposition. The PM’s speeches and referral to the Supreme Court failed to pacify neither the storm in the media or the political milieu.
In the past few days, however, both the government and the opposition have realised the futility of trying for a quick fix of their own liking. The evergreen grapevine of the capital goes to the extent of suggesting ‘friendly advice’ from important quarters to go steady. The prime minister, having been sobered by the Supreme Court’s refusal to create a judicial commission on the dotted lines agreed to address the National Assembly and work with the opposition to decide the ToRs of a judicial commission to probe the offshore companies.
There is no guarantee that the parliamentary route will be successful but the debate in the National Assembly was a pleasant change from the ruckus that we have witnessed for the past several weeks. Calls for the prime minister’s resignation have ceased and even the idea of his stepping aside during judicial proceedings has been dropped.
Taking advantage of a receptive opposition in the assembly, Nawaz recounted the successes and vicissitudes of the House of Sharif, asserting that no money was taken out of Pakistan to acquire properties abroad. He denied any wrongdoing in the offshore companies owned by his immediate family. The implicit message was that he and his wife were not named in the Panama leaks – and that the opposition, particularly the party vying for tabdeeli, was after him while the people stood behind him.
The opposition’s walkout over the PM’s non-reply to its seven questions was counterproductive as it missed a rare opportunity to address the House in Nawaz Sharif’s presence. He stayed away from the House when the two main opposition figures, Khursheed Shah and Imran Khan addressed the assembly the next day. Both were prudent in their remarks, already having obtained the government’s accord for the establishment of a parliamentary committee to deliberate the ToRs for the judicial commission.
Our political stalwarts have shown that they can do better than behaving like the clueless fly on the tyre who does not realise where the vehicle is heading till it comes to a sudden halt and overturns. The third umpire’s watchful eye is obviously on their minds. However, the storm is far from averted. Imran has warned that if the probe fails to materialise, his party is ready to come out on the roads. No mention of storming Raiwind this time but it is still on his mind.
By claiming that no money was transferred from Pakistan to purchase properties in London through offshore companies, the prime minister has thrown the ball in the opposition’s court to prove otherwise. PML-N spokesmen have asserted that the properties acquired in London in the 1990s were not owned by Nawaz Sharif or his immediate family but by the extended family. The opposition could very well be on a wild goose chase where they cannot stick the prime minister with something serious enough to require his departure from office.
It would be unfair to declare a sitting premier guilty without due process especially when his name is not mentioned in the Panama Papers. The opposition’s walkout from the assembly, after having persuaded the government to jointly settle the ToRs, was seen more as a sign of weakness than strength.
The PTI leader’s warning to take their case to the streets is also premature. Maryam Safdar’s claim that the PM’s speech rendered the opposition ‘speechless’ may be overoptimistic but there is no doubt that of the three speeches he has made since the release of the Panama Papers, his address to the NA was most focused and showed a way forward.
Shaikh Rashid, master of forecasting doomsday, remained undeterred – claiming cracks were developing in the ruling party to force Nawaz to quit. Shaikh is famous for his flights of fancy. His outburst nonetheless indicates that efforts may be afoot to weaken the PM’s hold over power and party. Luckily for the ruling party the self-styled oracle of Lal Haveli has been proved wrong before.
The most significant development in the ongoing political manoeuvres is the government’s apparently successful stance that the judicial commission will not confine its probe to the Panama Papers. It could thus investigate offshore assets held by members of the opposition as well as former rulers like Zardari and Musharraf.
Aitzaz Ahsan, while conceding that everybody should be held accountable, insisted that the probe under consideration must begin with the sitting prime minister. It would take months to see the result, if any, of the enquiry presumably to be conducted by a commission under the Supreme Court, with ToRs agreed to by the political parties as well as the court. Shaikh Rashid and Imran to take note. There is no quick fix.
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