Daily Times

The Sharif family is attempting desperately to escape being held accountable for the unaccounted-for money they have stolen and whitewashed, and the properties they have acquired abroad especially in UK. To forestall the investigation against their money laundering, they are utilizing Nawaz League loyalists, allowing themselves to be used, they are as much culpable as accessories. Everyone and his uncle know that the family agenda and the PDM agenda differ totally in their objectives. That is,they did not allow Nawaz Sharif to address the PDM rally in Karachi. By being vocal against the Army and the Judiciary, convicted criminal Nawaz Sharif wants to get “political asylum”,attempting to influence theBritish authorities that if he is deported to Pakistan because of his “anti-Army speeches”, the Army will act against him. The other members of the PDM have some genuine grievances, these been effectively derailed by Safdar’s derogatory antics in the Quaid’s mausoleum which has led to this “mutiny” situation among the Sindh Police hierarchy.

In my article “Army Chief, not Factory Managers”, dated Oct 21, 2016, I had written, “The Sharifs cannot tolerate anyone who does not jump to do their bidding without question. The Sharifs tend to select a “favourite” for crucial appointments like they would their “factory managers”. Despite giving some judgments against the Sharifs and the Punjab Govt, Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah was elevated to Chief Justice (CJ) of the Lahore High Court (LHC), eminent lawyer Babar Sattar calling it “a miracle”. Given their ingrained inferiority complex about Army Chiefs, the Sharifswill not keep the national interest supreme when appointing the COAS Pakistan”, unquote.

This will only be successful if and when it gets the support of a sizeable portion of the citizens that are the flesh and blood of the country, they must stand up for decency and tolerance in politics

Many of us do not identify with this state, we have no understanding about what citizenship in a modern state implies. A country cannot thrive if one does not personally contribute to it. Any citizen must understand the role of the state’s institutions, its political system and what tolerance for the opinion of the other is. A certain amount of ‘civil behaviour’ that is the fundamental premise of civilisation, is needed: one doesn’t make noise that disturbs others, one doesn’t destroy property or call others names, fighting and going rowdy in public are all unacceptable. Temperament is no excuse for misbehaviour. In a country that aims at emulating the example of the Prophet (PBUH) the first thing one should realize that the Prophet never used foul language or went rampage. On the contrary, there are Hadiths that record how he never had a bad word for an old woman who used to abuse him, when one day she was missing from the corner where she used to stand and abuse him, he got worried and went to inquire about her health.

All is not wonderful in Pakistan;our state institutions have been run down by successive governments. Certainly, the sitting government is also not free of mistakes. What is important is thatdespite all the shortcomings Imran Khan has started the process trying to right the wrongs. This will only be successful if and when it gets the support of a sizeable portion of the citizens that are the flesh and blood of the country, they muststand up for decency and tolerance in politics.

Somethings however are a mysteryviz (1) Safdar could not be that stupid to resort to his anticsin the Quaid’s mausoleum without some purpose, maybe he was attempting to get some political space within the Nawaz League very much like Asif Zardari carved out for himself (2)Nawaz League is trying to divert possible attention from the imminent publication of notices in UK newspaper declaring Nawaz Sharif a convicted criminal a absconding from justice in Pakistan and(3) what was Sindh Govt’s role in Safdar’s arrest and the “mutiny” by the Sindh Police hierarchy? WasPPPplaying a double game cutting Maryam to sizefor not attending the pre-PDM meeting in Bilawal House in Karachiwhile at the same time condemning his arrest?And now using the Sindh Police incident to defame the Army and the Federal Govt?

All this pales,unfortunately,before the “protest” by the Sindh Police hierarchy. Unless they were acting on instructions from someone senior to them either in the police or in Sindh Govt, we will have to send about two dozen or so extremely fine professionally outstanding officers home for this incident. For Safdar’s antics in the near proximity of where he is buried that led to this no-win situation for the country, the Quaid must be turning over in his grave.

The writer is a defence and security analyst