Nawaz Sharif adopts the collision course
Nawaz Sharif adopts the collision course
Siddiq Baluch
Editor's Blog

QUETTA: The day Nawaz Sharif decided that he will take G.T. Road to return to Lahore after being ousted from power unceremoniously, it was confirmed by the political pundits that the former Prime Minister is highly offended, lost his temper and he had adopted the collision course to settle his score with his opponents—whosoever they may be.

QUETTA: The day Nawaz Sharif decided that he will take G.T. Road to return to Lahore after being ousted from power unceremoniously, it was confirmed by the political pundits that the former Prime Minister is highly offended, lost his temper and he had adopted the collision course to settle his score with his opponents—whosoever they may be.

Presumably, he is mentally prepared to face the consequences of the politics of anti-establishment.

T. Road is Central Punjab and it is the political base of PML-N and its leader. Thus it was natural that he will refer the issue to his political constituents seeking their support after he picks up his fight.

It seems to be the same scenario when late Bhutto was re-arrested after he refused to surrender before the military dictator in 1977. Bhutto was tried in courts of law and finally executed and his body was buried in Larkana.

During his speeches in major cities of Central Punjab on way back to his home town Lahore, the ousted Prime Minister openly challenged the judiciary and the security establishment without naming them for tactical reasons. Both the institutions are seemingly keeping Nawaz Sharif under watch before take a firm decision how to handle it.

According to Chaudhary Nisar Ali Khan, the ousted Prime Minister is the second civilian knowing the details what is happening in the surroundings of Pakistan and the country is being encircled by hostile force posing a threat to the security of the country.

Keeping in view that information and knowledge, what Nawaz Sharif wants and to whom his addressing or sending the message? He was one of the known political leaders who openly and publicly opposed a war with India. He made the efforts to avoid a war with India and that is why he evaded provocative statements against India. Was he addressing India or the group of countries supporting India on many issues? Or is he filing his nomination papers as future ruler of Pakistan?

On the political front, the PML had no traditions of confronting the establishment. Or it was always found on the side of the security establishment at crucial juncture. At least the Muslim Leaguers were found agitating even what they believed or what they demanded. Thus it will be a big question mark that the Muslim League will launch a political agitation to restore Nawaz Sharif in power by inflicting a defeat to the judiciary or the security establishment. There is a very remote possibility that the Muslim Leaguers will ever take to the streets in support of their own demands or on the demand of their undisputed leader.

What will be the possible reaction from the other side of the political conflict? There will be a clear view that Nawaz Sharif is agitating against it own Government seeking to topple it down both at the Centre and in the provinces.

It is not possible to single out the Punjab Province and dismiss the Provincial Government of Shahbaz Sharif. When it comes to the provinces, all the Provincial Governments will be toppled down and the Punjab will not enjoy a privileged position.

On the judicial front, it is easy for the courts to expedite the criminal charges against Nawaz Sharif, his family and Mr. Ishaq Dar and seek their early conviction before they act again or pose a serious threat to country’s security establishment. More than a dozen cases are pending against Nawaz Sharif in person and his family. First of all, they will have to rush to the courts seeking pre-arrest bail before beginning the trial on day-to-day basis.

Nawaz Sharif must know the fact that his agitation will ultimate end in removal of his own party Government paving the way for his opponents to rule the country for his own disadvantage.

Chaudhary Nisar Ali Khan is a clever man and he had a smooth sailing in his entire political life beginning from the Partyless elections of General Zia to this date. When the storm is gathering over Pakistan and from many directions, he left politics and had refused to join the team of Nawaz Sharif agitating against the judiciary or the security establishment.

There is a possibility that Chaudhary Nisar Ali Khan, as a most pragmatic politician, may be selected as the new Prime Minister of Pakistan to lead a possible national unity Government in case of crises take a more serious turn.