‘Repeated errors bring about Nawaz’s fall’

LAHORE :Politicians from smaller provinces of the country have described the disqualification of Nawaz Sharif a result of repeated errors which isolated him politically and brought him to this juncture.  

A rubber stamp parliament, keeping mum over the troubles of smaller provinces, unfulfilled promises, political victimisation of rivals were the key reasons which according to the politicians from smaller provinces believed isolated Nawaz Sharif and led to the current situation.

Different politicians hailing from the provinces of Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and federation units like Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Kashmir termed the failure of Nawaz Sharif to complete his term as PM an outcome of his wrong decisions.

“What goes around, comes around, what he has his mentor Ziaul Haq had been doing with the PPP leadership, this disqualification is the result of some divine intervention” said Mehdi Shah, former chief minister of Gligit-Baltistan while talking to The News.He stated that PPP leadership, including Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, Benazir Bhutto and Begum Nusrat Bhutto had undergone in the hands of Ziaul Haq and later by Nawaz Sharif.

“Today Nawaz is reaping what he sowed” said Mehdi Shah.

Ayaz Latif Palejo, head of Qaumi Awami Tehreek and a nationalist from Sindh stated that after coming to power, the prime minister should have empowered the parliament which was his real strength. Instead, he said, Nawaz relied mainly on his advisers and the cabinet due to which the parliament lost its strength and situation worsened with the passage of time.Palejo also stated that the PM should have not kept mum over the corrupt practices of the PPP government in Sindh which even used figures like Ayan Ali to launder the national wealth. The Sindh nationalist demanded similar action against the PPP leadership which according to him was on a looting mission in the province.

Irfan Ullah Marwat, former home minister of Sindh, who also later served as the PML-N MPA between 2013 to 2017 from Karachi and left the party owing to differences with party leadership while talking to The News stated that during his tenure as PM, Nawaz didn’t pay any heed to the issues faced by the people of this province or his own party.He said since 2013 when the PML-N came to power, four top party leaders from Sindh, including two former chief ministers Ghous Ali Shah, Liaqat Jatoi, Imdad Chandio, Ismael Rahu left the party due to the apathetic attitude.

Just before his disqualification, Marwat stated the PM made a couple of visits to Sindh but did nothing for the province. A person who never deserved to be governor was appointed for the slot, he added.

Shahzain Bugti, senior leader of Jamhuri Watan Party and grandson of forme chief minister late Akber Bugti while commenting over the SC verdict, disqualifying Nawaz stated that there must be no-tolerance policy against anyone involved in corruption. He said the JWP stance was very clear on corruption and hoped that the trend set by the judiciary would continue in future as well.The JWP leader expressed disappointment over the way Bugtis were treated under Nawaz era and stated the key promises made by Nawaz Sharif before assuming the office of PM were ignored. He said thousands of Bugti tribesmen were still facing the issue of settlement despite the promise made by the former PM during his visit to Balochistan before assuming the office. 

Baba Hyder Zaman, head of Hazara Province Movement, who contested two National Assembly elections against Nawaz Sharif in 1993 and 1997 from Abbottabad while talking to The News said that there was no reason to celebrate the dismissal of any prime minister but he faced what he had done and the decision was right.

He said Nawaz was equally responsible for the injustice done with the people of Hazara when he supported the name of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in Zardari era but didn’t pay any attention to give rights to the people of Hazara, who always voted for him. He said it was unfortunate that no politician in the present lot seemed capable of holding the reigns of the country and keep the federation united.

Faisal Mumtaz Rathore, former Energy Minister from Azad Kashmir in the last PPP era while talking to The News stated that for the first time in the history of the country, Nawaz Sharif had faced accountability and it wasn’t fair to see any plot behind it. He said the former PM had always tried to assume the role of Ameerul Momineen due to which he was unable to complete his term.Rathore, who is son of former AJK PM Raja Mumtaz Hussain Rathore, stated that it wasn’t fair to hold anyone responsible for the current state of affairs but the PM himself.

Hasil Bazinjo, head of National Party of Balochistan, who also served as Federal Minister for Ports and Shipping in the cabinet of Nawaz, however, defended the former PM while saying what was done to a sitting prime minister was expected. He said one may have differences over any issue, but it wasn’t appropriate to say that parliament wasn’t empowered or attention wasn’t paid towards smaller provinces.