Almost since the moment he was removed from office by the Supreme Court, former prime minister Nawaz Sharif has hit the campaign trail. The past six months have seen him traverse the country, both making a case for himself and arguing that his disqualification was part of an anti-democratic conspiracy. On Sunday, the travelling road show hit Peshawar where Nawaz had a new target: PTI chief Imran Khan. Addressing what many observers believe is the largest-ever PML-N rally to be held over recent years in Peshawar, Nawaz called on voters to use their votes to bring about change. While the achievements of the PTI government in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa are grossly exaggerated, it is nonetheless true that the party remains broadly popular in the province and is the favourite to emerge the victor in the next elections. Changing that is important for Nawaz, who sees Imran Khan as his chief rival. He is also clearly not inclined to make any friendly overtures towards Imran, hinting instead at the selectivity of justice and calling upon the power of the people to deliver the kind of setup that is required by the country. Nawaz also made an affirmative case for his party by pointing out the achievements of his government in improving access to healthcare and developing infrastructure. He contrasted this with what he saw as the obstructionism of the PTI government, which he claimed had stopped the central government from introducing reforms in the province.
Should the PML-N suffer even the slightest drop in popularity in Punjab or have to withstand the pressure caused by any defections among its ranks, it will need to pick up seats in other provinces. This is likely why Nawaz spent time in both Karachi and Peshawar last week. While the PTI’s popularity in Sindh is strictly limited, the reception Nawaz received in the provincial capital of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa will give him hope of making substantial electoral gains in the province. The PML-N can already rely on receiving a significant amount of the Hindko-language vote – which is why the party supported the creation of a Hazara province – but now needs to expand its appeal among the urban areas of KP.
Indeed, Nawaz appears to be stepping up the rhetoric, accompanied by his daughter who may now be emerging as a future candidate for the key slot following the election. There is also every evidence that the PML-N and Nawaz Sharif still hold the power that only people can bestow. The gathering near the motorway toll plaza at Peshawar was large, running well beyond the 40,000 seats put up for the occasion. This belies any claims that had predicted doom for the Sharif family. The way things stand at the moment makes the PML-N seem very much a top contender for majority votes. However, it is hard to predict which way politics swings and what other factors come into play during and before the elections. But at the moment, Nawaz seems to be riding high on a series of well-attended rallies. The tactic of refusing to bow down to pressure and remain consistently on the front foot may yet pay off for Nawaz and the PML-N team which is now quite obviously in full campaign mood as it makes it obvious how it will approach the coming election and what it hopes to gain from it.