As Nawaz Sharif’s good luck seems to be running out — that of Gen (retd) Pervez Musharraf appears to be on the up. The capital’s police have told an Islamabad sessions court that the then president-general was not guilty of murdering Lal Masjid cleric Ghazi Abdur Rasheed in the infamous military operation of just over a decade ago. Admittedly, this represents a simple submission in an ongoing case. But that it has come so close to this summer’s elections may or may not be significant. What is clear is that for many political pundits here in Pakistan — it was Lal Masjid that precipitated Musharraf’s political downfall. And not the lawyers’ movement, which at the time was hailed as the pinstripe revolution in certain quarters of the national and western media. The entire operation still raises important questions given that in the run-up to the mosque’s storming the US National Intelligence Estimate report had for the first time added Pakistan to the list of countries (Afghanistan and Iraq) in which Al Qaeda was operative. For the citizenry still needs clarity as to how weapons from the terror group found their way into a mosque in the federal capital; not too far away from Rawalpindi. Musharraf appears emboldened by this development. He has yet again said that he will return to the country to contest polls. And he has also, in his own way, gloated over Nawaz Sharif’s second dethroning at the hands of the Supreme Court. Whether or not this is anything more than sheer action-man-bravado we cannot be sure given that the Islamabad police had last month been instructed by the courts to secure red warrants to ensure the former commando’s return to face the judicial music. And then there is the not un-small matter of the Chief Minister Punjab doing a bit of crowing of his own. For following the SC’s deposing of Nawaz Sharif from the ruling PMLN’s presidency — Shehbaz Sharif has disclosed how Musharraf had offered him the premiership just before the latter’s bloodless coup back in 1999. This, of course, reminds everyone that the security establishment is said to view the younger Sharif as a more palatable prospect than his brother; which may or may not be the same as describing him as the lesser of the two. Indeed, in recent days Musharraf has thrown in his tuppence worth by saying that Shehbaz is a better man for the top spot. All of which begs the question as to what is going on? Is Pakistan once more being forced to look the other way as backroom deals are negotiated and more reformed assets are added to the list? We sincerely hope not. In fact, we find ourselves agreeing with PPP Chairperson Bilawal Bhutto when he calls for justice to be delivered equally to both politicians and military dictators. This is something that Imran Khan might like to bear in mind as he readies for a pro-judiciary rally. * Published in Daily Times, February 23rd 2018.