Nawaz’s tone negates rivals ‘NRO’, ‘deal’ mantra

ISLAMABAD: Former prime minister Nawaz Sharif’s presser echoed the same aggressive line that he has been harping on since his July 28 Supreme Court-imposed disqualification as his Saudi visit did not apparently impact his narrative. The “NRO” and “deal” mantra of his archrivals as a result vanished into thin air.

Rather for the first time he minced no words in giving an open caveat that he would not hesitate in exposing in public the offstage activities against him and the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) if this process was not stopped forthwith. He has all the proofs and evidence regarding the behind-the-scene conspiracies in his possession that he threatened to release.

The major stance of Nawaz Sharif will be revealed during his upcoming public rally in Kot Momin area of Punjab. It will tell the exact mood of the PML-N president.

It was evident from what Nawaz Sharif stated that he was clearly in the know of what is being sponsored aimed at cutting down the electoral power of the PML-N. Nobody’s hands should be tied and making secret contacts and phone calls (with different forces opposed to him) should be given up, he warned.

His primary focus and thrust was that every political party should be provided a level-playing field in the upcoming general elections, people’s opinion should be respected and the practice of treating the electorates’ decision wrong be shunned because Pakistan’s destiny is linked with fair, free and transparent elections. A “slave democracy” is also a form of dictatorship.

Without naming Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan, the former prime minister dubbed him more than once as the “darling” (Ladla) for whom efforts were being made to improve his electoral position by indulging in games to hurt the PML-N’s power. “There should be no special deal or favour for him.”

The same old hackneyed political “engineering”, Nawaz Sharif emphasised, is being done to pave the way for the darling despite the fact that according to all surveys and opinion polls, the PML-N’s vote-bank exceeds all the political parties’ tally.

The most part of his talk was related to seeking the forthcoming elections on time and without any meddling by any quarter before or after the polls.

Nawaz Sharif did not specifically mention a host of activities including the recent Allama Tahirul Qadri-hosted All Parties Conference and other endeavours to target him but when he alluded to engineering, he meant all the moves, which have the sole objective of whittling down the PML-N’s electoral strength. His number one target was Imran Khan.

There were another two important points in his carefully drafted statement that he read out without taking questions. One pertained to his oft-repeated “sincere advice” while being prime minister that has been rendering: we should put our own house in order and ponder over the fact that why the world was not comprehending Pakistan’s stand that it has rendered innumerable sacrifices in the anti-terror war but still fingers were being raised at it. Instead of paying heed to this call, he opined, questions were raised about his patriotism and DawnLeak type things came out. He thus described the DawnLeak as a conspiracy which was played up against him.

The second point pertained to his articulation of the state policy against the aggressive policy of US President Donald Trump. “Trump’s statement is against the established diplomatic norms; it was our government that broke the back of terrorists through a concerted operation,” he said and described the US leader’s recent tweet as non-serious and regrettable. Pakistan doesn’t need the American aid and since Pakistan now has an elected government unlike the dictatorial regime (Pervez Musharraf), which will not cave in due to threats.

Nawaz Sharif avoided to say a single word on his Saudi visit to Riyadh where he, accompanied by Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif, held a lengthy session with the crown prince. He thus kept his deliberations a closely guarded secret. However, after appearing before the accountability court a short while ago, he said to a question from a reporter that his Riyadh visit was no “wonder” and those who indulged in speculations over his trip committed cruelty against the relations between the two brotherly countries that have been established since the partition and strengthened over the time.

In his well-thought out prepared text, he also did not take on the Supreme Court as he has been doing since July 28. But outside the accountability court, he asked what sort of corruption is it that has yet to be found against him. He also attacked Imran Khan by saying that while he was disqualified over an “Iqama” (work permit), the Supreme Court bench hearing cases against the PTI chief declared him honest despite his confessions. “Imran Khan availed himself of the money whitening amnesty scheme that implies he admitted to wrongdoing but still the judges declared him Sadiq and Ameen. The judiciary favoured him by giving him a clean chit.”

Everyone keenly awaited Nawaz Sharif’s remarks and listened to them carefully as all and sundry wanted to decipher the effect of his Saudi visit on his overall belligerent stance after his expulsion. If it can be called a change in him, it was that he whole-heartedly set his eyes on getting fair and free elections, trying to ensure that political manipulations and maneuverings being forcefully done against him with the aim of reducing his prospective electoral gains were halted.

In the days to come in the run-up to the elections, he would intensify pressure on every circle concerned to make sure that a multitude of ongoing machinations against the PML-N to reduce its potential share in the results of the 2018 polls are put to end to let people’s will prevail wherein lies Pakistan’s redemption.