Daily Times

On July 6, NAB announced its Avenfield reference verdict at a time when Mian sahib, along with his daughter, were in London to visit the ailing Begum Kulsoom Nawaz. Mian Nawaz Sharif was convicted to 10 years, Maryam Nawaz seven years, and her husband Capt (r) Safdar for one year. While Capt (r) Safdar was arrested the very next day from a rally in Rawalpindi; the remaining two were to be arrested on their arrival.

The Pakistan Muslim League — Nawaz (PML-N), under Shahbaz Sharif, had already denounced the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) verdict, but they did not follow the narrative of the former premier Nawaz Sharif. This prompted Sharif to decide to land in Islamabad directly, and he had to be convinced to revert to his original plan by the younger Sharif brother, who assured him that he would be greeted with all the pomp and respect he deserved.

As a result, the caretaker Punjab government overreacted, as they predicted violent rallies and protests across the city and they used the police to arrest hundreds of PML-N workers, most were eventually released by the LHC on the day Nawaz Sharif was landing. Additionally, Lahore was entirely choked with containers, even barring the motorway to avoid PML-N leaders and workers from different regions to enter the city. Mobile phone services were also suspended, and these measures created an undue panic amongst the citizens of Lahore.

Besides the defiance, Nawaz’s return is probably to make amends for the way he left the country through backdoor deals back in 2001. Political pundits believe that his current actions, and the hurdles faced by the PML-N have once again given him some credibility. Even though it would have been easy for Nawaz to stay in London with his ill wife, his decision to return will perhaps set a positive precedent for the future

Despite PEMRA orders to restrict coverage of convicted Nawaz Sharif’s’ homecoming, images of rallies celebrating his return could be seen on every news channel, and there were even reports that almost two hundred and fifty thousand people took to the streets in celebration.

While the elder Sharif has nothing to lose after his disqualification and imprisonment, the overzealous firmness of the caretaker government has led even the most anti PML-N voters to wonder why the party is being treated in this special way.

Even though Nawaz is a convicted former premier, the constitution of Pakistan, under article 19A insures the “freedom of expression and speech to each citizen including freedom of press”.

Our institutions must learn from the mistakes made in past instead of making more heroes. The same discriminatory behaviour was seen against Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, which was later accepted as a judicial murder. And the day Bhutto was hanged, the issue-based politics died out and politics based on emotion was born.

These same emotions were evoked by the Sharif family, including a video message from the former premier’s mother Shamim Akhtar who vowed to go to jail alongside her dear son. These emotions have also helped galvanize PMLN voters to change their allegiances from pro establishment to anti-establishment stances.

Nawaz enjoyed undisputed power for over three decades, but now he is facing problems from a majority faction of the party, led by his younger brother. Yet he has still managed to shift the electoral paradigm of Pakistan from pro Bhutto and anti-Bhutto, into pro-Nawaz and anti-Nawaz. Now the vote will be casted on this premise.

Besides the defiance, Nawaz’s return is probably to make amends for the way he left the country through backdoor deals for exile, back in 2001.

Political pundits believe that his current actions, and the hurdles faced by the PML-N now have once again given him some credibility. Even though it would have been easy for Nawaz to stay in London with his ill wife, his decision to return will perhaps set a positive precedent that might prove to be beneficial in the future.

Now Nawaz and his daughter are in Adiala Jail B class, while their judgment goes through an appeal in the IHC. Nonetheless, his return and the subsequent facing of charges, will lead to calls to bring back Gen Musharraf as well, who is an absconder as declared by the apex court.

Secondly, the nation has also witnessed the course of action state institutions have taken against SSP Sindh Police Rao Anwar on extra judicial killing. The way hide-and-seek was played with SC is on record. It drives people to wonder why civilian leaders are dealt with strictly, and why dictators and law enforcement officials are not treated in the same manner.

The writer is an academic. He tweets @muhd_hani

Published in Daily Times, July 20^th 2018.