Nawaz loses coveted office but not restraint

ISLAMABAD: Despite having received a massive blow by the Supreme Court-imposed disqualification, deposed Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif is holding back his pent-up fury and sentiments so that there is no disruption or chaos that Pakistan can’t afford.

He has exhibited extraordinary patience and tolerance although he has been booted out on a ground that has not at all impressed or convinced, even slightly, leading independent constitutional and legal experts, who have no love lost for him.

As he spoke his heart out with journalists on his arrival in the federal capital from Murree, his assertions in no way attacked any premier State institution. This kind of rare sense of responsibility is absolutely exceptional when he is deeply hurt and offended inside. But he may speak out at the time of his choosing, carefully and prudently.

A policy that the ousted premier has adopted is to be “silent” for now on essential causes of his expulsion but he may come out of this mode to some extent as the campaign for the forthcoming parliamentary elections will draw close. “Although I have a lot to say on the circumstances surrounding my ouster, I wish to remain silent for the moment. I understand a lot, but want to be silent for the time being, but will not remain so forever.”

A widespread perception is that the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) will be unstoppable in the next grand electoral fight, leaving its rivals far behind, as the judicial verdict has benefited it rather than damaging it even marginally. The fundamental reason is the weak basis on which Nawaz Sharif was disqualified. 

In order to skirt any colossal public disturbances and commotion, Nawaz Sharif has reacted to his ejection cool-mindedly and thoughtfully although such kind of levelheaded response is unexpected from most persons, ostracized this way. His attitude is certainly out of the ordinary, which belies the impression created about him that he is a stubborn, inflexible and vindictive man. However, tenacious he ought to be while sticking to his principles.

An undisputed objective behind his restraint and self-control is that he doesn’t want to fritter away the unprecedentedly enormous gains Pakistan has made during this tenure due to his aggressive development agenda including the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) projects. Obviously, these benefits will produce political dividends for him.

While being disciplined, he accentuated a difference between his politics even after the severe punishment imposed on him and the perennial policy of his disrupting political rivals, who used their ceaseless theatrics and histrionics and every trick in their bag to keep Pakistan on tenterhooks for the last four years.

Obviously, Nawaz Sharif ceased to be prime minister the moment the top court pronounced its verdict on July 28, but everybody who is anybody making a beeline for the Punjab House where he stayed abundantly exhibited the political clout and power he possesses despite being no longer the premier. He is no more the “king” but is still the “kingmaker”. Everyone in his popular political party looks towards him. He will continue to attract public attention much more than his government or any other political leader.

Among others, there were two main points in his informal presser. “When will a court punish the dictator who says that the dictatorship is better than democracy,” he stated without naming Pervez Musharraf. ‘The one who subverted the Constitution twice is still roaming free, is there any court which will take cognizance of this matter?” he asked and disclosed that way back in 2007 Musharraf desperately wanted to meet him to sign an ‘NRO’ (national reconciliation ordinance) but he refused to see him. “Baloch leader Nawab Akbar Bugti was brutally killed but no one asked from those who were responsible for it.”

The criticism of the dictator demonstrated his love and credentials for democracy and antipathy to dictatorship that he did not want to return ever to Pakistan.

The second point was his disqualification on a minor issue. “How could I declare a salary I never received from my son’s company? No evidence of corruption could be found against me despite the investigation of my father’s company records. One of my sons gifted money from abroad while the other’s company showed a salary in papers that he never received, which was made the basis for my disqualification.”

The former premier’s change of mind to travel to his hometown Lahore via the GT Road instead of the motorway is meant to buoy up his supporters in his strongholds, surrounding this highway, and tell them that he was as active as he had always been. En route, he will cover a lot of areas which reposed complete confidence in the PML-N in successive elections. He set aside the security concerns brought to his notice, urging him not to use the GT Road.