Daily Times

There had been little doubt about the high-voltage drama over accountability cases against members of the Sharif family fizzling sooner rather than later ever since the Lahore Special Court literally gave the prime minister and his son a clean chit back in June. No matter what the opposition parties may proclaim, the higher judiciary has taken the much-needed call to acquit PM Sharif and his son in a Rs 16 billion money laundering case. The investigation watchdog appeared to dabble in an all-hat-and-no-cattle approach in the last 10 months when neither any irrefutable evidence nor witnesses were presented before the bench. However, “mala fide” intentions cannot remain the writing of the wall forever.

It has been a bonanza of legal victories for the ruling party that almost instantaneously took the spray cans out to paint the town red. Just last month, the Lahore High Court had pulled the Avenfield case from cold storage after four long years to overturn the conviction. The higher judiciary’s demand for evidence yet again affirmed the party narrative about falling prey to political subjugation. Persevering through the battles one after the other, the PML(N) and its top brass have determinedly held their ground no matter how dire the adversities became. With Ms Nawaz free to contest elections after an arduous sentence and a clean slate given to PM Sharif, the great rumour mills are working overtime about the return of three-time premier and party’s president, Mian Nawaz Sharif.

Against a backdrop of “whitewashing” and “slap on nation’s face” banners being raised by the PTI stalwarts, the need to let the law take its course cannot be emphasised enough. The onus to present a fool-proof case punctuated with money trails and testimonies remained on the shoulders of the prosecution, which has miserably failed in justifying any of its barrage of controversial accusations. Therefore, turbocharging the social media trolls is a futile exercise that mature players would know better to dip their toes in.

The House of Sharif’s prayers may have finally been answered as they enjoy a respite from the unending chatter of doom and gloom. A state can function effectively only and only if it enjoys the utmost trust in its credibility. Whether the changing tide is able to turn the electoral tables still hangs in the air but the bright prospects for the optics game are hard to deny. *