Daily Times

Begum Kulsoom Nawaz is seriously unwell and on a ventilator. Former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and his daughter Maryam are presently in Britain; tending to their ailing relative.

This is a somber moment for the Sharif family, who have been under the weather for more than a year. In fact, the father-daughter duo had not been allowed to visit Kulsoom Nawaz by the accountability court as the latter, under the directions of Supreme Court, is rushing the trials that are likely to be concluded before the elections.

This is a trying time and the apparent lack of concern shown by the judiciary has only aided Nawaz Sharif’s narrative of selective justice and victimisation. It is unclear if the judiciary and the establishment have learned any lessons from the past. The more you squeeze politicians the greater sympathy they elicit from their supporters and even non-partisan citizens. If anything, hundreds of court appearances in less than one year by Nawaz are eerily similar to what Benazir Bhutto had to undergo in the 1990s. We hope that this political culture changes sooner rather than later for the country is trapped in a vicious cycle for decades.

Most leaders of political parties have expressed their concern and surprisingly kept politics aside when wishing the former First Lady an early recovery. In fact, Imran Khan should be appreciated for posting tweets wishing Kulsoom Nawaz good health. It is a separate matter that some of the online trolls – mostly identifying themselves with the PTI – have not spared the Sharifs in their true moment of grief. Some of the comments and ridicule are a sad reminder of what we have done to our youth by exposing them to an abusive political vocabulary; not to mention an education system where basic civic sense and civility are missing. This is a worrying situation as Pakistan’s majority population comprises youth cohort and the leaders of tomorrow must shun the practices that their elders have adopted.

In the meantime, we at Daily Times pray for Kulsoom Nawaz’s health and urge the courts to show compassion and uphold the dignity of all accused. A few weeks here or there will not make a big difference. As it is, due process is usually missing from the political cases of such nature. With mercy gone too, the judicial proceedings will be bereft of much needed legitimacy.  *

Published in Daily Times, June 16^th 2018.