Nawaz Sharif’s political profile: entry to exit

Mian Mohammad Nawaz Sharif’s entry into politics was accidental and unexpected, but his exit was expected as he has now been disqualified for life by the Supreme Court, a big setback for him, family and for the PML-N. Let’s have a close look at his political journey, from entry to exit.

His family was apolitical and the late Mian Mohammad Sharif initially turned down the request from General Ziaul Haq through General Jillani, but later agreed that though he himself would not join politics, he would dedicate two of his sons -- Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif and Mian Shahbaz Sharif to national politics, with a request that they should first be properly groomed.

Motive behind the move of the then military establishment and General Ziaul Haq was simple i.e. to counter the PPP and Bhutto's politics. They needed someone from Punjab as Bhutto was even more popular in Punjab than in Sindh.

One of the close aides of Nawaz Sharif once told the writer about his entry into politics and how the late Mohammad Sharif agreed to the suggestion. "Mian Sharif was a non-political businessman, but he became anti-Bhutto after his industries were nationalised along with other industries by Zulfikar Ali Bhutto. General Jillani, somehow convinced him that his factories would be returned and through politics he could also protect his business."

Mian Sharif wanted to concentrate on his business, but because of pressure and influence from Gen Jillani, he allowed his two sons to cooperate with the martial law authorities, he added.

Thus, the two Sharifs were launched in politics in the late 1970s; they were trained politically. The two men, who played an important role in their political growth in the 1980s and 1990s, were former ISI chief General (retd) Hameed Gul and Sharif's close aides in those days, Hussain Haqqani, former secretary information and Pakistan’s ambassador to the US.

After the 1985 non-party based elections, General Zia and his aides succeeded in keeping mainstream PPP out of politics and then decided to form the PML as ‘king’s party’. In a bid to counter rising sense of political deprivation in Sindh after Bhutto's execution, he picked a Sindhi unknown politician, Mohammad Khan Junejo as the PML head and the PM.

While Junejo later even surprised General Zia when against his advice, he allowed political liberty to all political parties and also announced freedom of the press. He later proved more dangerous for Zia when he issued a directive that all VVIPs, in civil and military bureaucracy, would use small cars. He also allowed Benazir Bhutto to return to Pakistan and lifted unofficial ban on her.

But, his political exit came after he decided to sign a Geneva Accord. And with the consent of all political parties, he ordered a probe into Ojhri camp mysterious fire. General Hameed Gul, in one of his interviews with the writer, admitted that the military leadership got angry with him over Geneva Accord, and decided to sack him.

Nawaz Sharif, who after 1985 elections, was elected as the Punjab chief minister for the first time, later backed the establishment in getting rid of Junejo, who was finally removed under Article 58-2(B), by General Zia, who was also the president on May 28, 1988.

When Benazir Bhutto returned to Pakistan on April 10, 1986, after her five years exile, a mammoth crowd received her, which scared Zia and the establishments. "It is true that the IJI was formed to block PPP's two third-thirds majority as there was strong apprehension that she could take revenge from those who ousted and later executed her father,” the late Gul once said in his interview with the writer.

The establishment knows how powerful Benazir Bhutto could be and they wanted Sharif to first emerge as strong opposition leader. Thus, through the IJI, an alliance of anti-PPP parties was formed and the PPP was countered in the elections. The PPP won but could not get two-thirds majority while the PML-led IJI emerged as a strong opposition alliance.

The game plan was succeeded as the PPP could not win Punjab, and with Nawaz as head of the IJI emerged as a leading opposition leader. BB was never allowed to settle and within one year, a vote of no-confidence was moved against the PM, in which 'money' was allegedly used. However, the no-confidence was defeated but as a result, BB got further weakened and ultimately on August 6, 1990, her government was dismissed under 58-2(B).

After BB sacking, Nawaz Sharif decided to try his luck on the top slot. The 1990 elections had an interesting history. Initially, the late Ghulam Mustafa Jatoi, who was the interim PM, was picked as possible replacement. He himself once told the writer that the establishment and Sharif struck a deal and he was not picked as the PM. "Yes, there was an understanding that I would be the PM, but was later ditched."

It has now been an established fact that 1990 elections were not only rigged but, through Mehran Bank or Asghar Khan case proved that Rs90 million were distributed among anti-PPP politicians.

When, for the first time, Nawaz Sharif become the PM, in 1990 he, in a bid to consolidate his position, also developed differences with the then army chiefs, first with the late General Asif Nawaz and then with General Aslam Baig.

For the first time, a thought developed within the establishment that Sharif could not be trusted. In 1993, his government was also sacked and despite restoration by the SC, the government was not given to him and for the first time, the establishment re-established its contact with BB.

Nawaz Sharif-led PML lost elections and BB become the PM for the second time. While the establishment had no problem with BB, there were strong reservations about reports of corruption against her spouse, Asif Ali Zardari. Even the PPP nominee, the late Sardar Farooq Leghari, who was elected as president also got reports against Zardari, and informed BB about it. This led to differences between Leghari and Zardari.

Murtaza Bhutto, despite warnings by his sister Benazir Bhutto, decided to return home. He was killed in 1996, and his murder led to the sacking of second PPP government.

Nawaz Sharif again returned and this time with two thirds majority. He thought he had become very powerful and thus started taking measures, which could have made him unchallengeable He wanted judiciary of his own (recall what happened in the SC in 1998. At times even the SC got divided) and also made an attempt to control the army. What happened with former army chief, General Jehangir Karamat, was something which Sharif later regretted, because he was later replaced by General Pervez Musharraf, who was the choice of Shahbaz Sharif and Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan. He was given preference over General Ali Quli Khan.

Within a year, Nawaz also started developing differences with Musharraf and ignored his advice over handling former Indian PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee, when the latter visited Lahore.

A well-informed source said: “On Oct 12, 1999, Nawaz Sharif took a very premature decision of sudden sacking of Musharraf while the then COAS was in Colombo. But, it is also a fact that he got a report that Musharraf, before leaving for Sri Lanka, had given certain instructions to his close colleagues, General Mahmood, General Aziz and few others that in case Nawaz Sharif do any such decision they should not accept it and throw him out of power.

The coup once again ousted Sharif from power and he nearly faced the fate of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto had Saudi royal family not intervened. He was sent into exile under a deal for 10 years.

For the first time, he realised that its time to admit his political mistakes and fence his differences with his arch political rival, the late Benazir Bhutto. who too had become victim of political and non-political actors also decided to meet Nawaz.

In 2006, they signed a wide-ranging Charter of Democracy (CoD). But, when she struck a deal with Musharraf through a national reconciliation ordinance (NRO), Nawaz got angry. However, BB convinced him that it was the only way for re-entry into politics and get rid of Musharraf.

Both returned to Pakistan, but due to the assassination of BB on Dec 27, 2007, the CoD was never implemented.

Both, Nawaz Sharif and Benazir Bhutto, faced serious allegations of corruption and their governments were removed twice on these charges, but despite military rules, the charges were never proved in any court of law.

After BB, both PPP and PML-N completed their full term: PML is about to complete its term in the next 40 days, but could not absolve themselves from these allegations. The only defence they had taken throughout this period is that corruption has only been used as means to oust them from power.

When the PML-N was voted to power in 2013, it had all the time and power to establish itself. However, it lost the direction and what happened after famous Panama leaks in 2016, led to the exit of political career of Nawaz Sharif.

What happened from 2016 to this day not only sealed his chances of return to power but may be his politics as well. If, in the next few weeks, he and his immediate family also be convicted by NAB, there is every possibility that it would not only end his political career

but may be of his family legacy as well.

His supporters may not accept this decision, but reaction would certainly be different as compared to the one against Bhutto's execution. The only 'hope' he now has is from his supporters and voters, if they voted the PML-N to power again. But, defeat in elections would be the last nail in the coffin of politics of three times prime minister, now disqualified for life.

The writer is a senior columnist and analyst of Geo, The News and Jang.

Twitter: @MazharAbbasGEO