Daily Times

Going by cascading veiled references, a precious piece of political paradise appears in jeopardy. Pulling no punches, Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari bemoaned how “democracy and elections” had been stalled to make way for “someone’s” return. Reiterating the demand for polls, his party leaders seem just as impatient as the recently minted strategic partnership comes to an end. That the two mainstream political parties had joined hands to add weight to a phenomenal parliamentary ouster of the then-prime minister makes the trouble all the more significant.

A scathing showdown is clearly on the horizon wherein furious mouthpieces from both sides would resort to ugly tirades; pointing fingers and casting scathing allegations. However, the depravity of Pakistan’s political discourse cannot gloss over the interesting timing of the underway events. Hours before the former prime minister is set to return to Pakistan after spending nearly four years in self-imposed exile, a court has granted protection from arrest; prompting yet another divide along the spectrum. With many questioning the sagaciousness of offering lifelines after lifelines to Mr Sharif on a silver platter, the ground seems to have been paved for the millionth clash between the mainstream rivals.

More interestingly, the Grand Lion is returning as a drastically changed man to an even more drastically changed party. In the absence of a clear-cut narrative, he would have a hard time living up to his reputation as a crowd-puller and ultimate appeal for PML(N). Any mention of economic prosperity would not sit well with the masses that have been profusely bleeding at the altar, especially under his lieutenant’s watch. “Mujhe Bahar Kyun Nikala” might have tempted the vote bank back then, but how does he plan to address the discomforting question in the wake of political uncertainty? His insistence on telling the tale as it is has faced serious opposition from his own party members, who do not see any wisdom or benefit in stirring up a hornet’s nest.

Between a rather short-lived marriage in the opposition camp and deal-breaker contradictions in his own camp, the upcoming days would be nothing short of a roller coaster ride for Nawaz Sharif. *