Daily Times

Asif Zardari has demanded Nawaz Sharif to return to the country if he wants to have a decisive battle against the PTI lead government, come what may. In response to this demand Maryam Nawaz has said that if PML-N supremo returns at this stage his life would be in danger. Other than PPP rest of the PDM is not demanding return of Nawaz Sharif. Shrewd Zardari’s this demand seems very trickey, mischievous and mysterious. This difference actually has placed PPP and rest of the PDM on North South Poles of politics. Factually Zardari isn’t ready to sacrify PPP’s rule in Sindh. Recently after jointly contesting elections for top Senate offices, cracks within the ranks of (PDM) are visible when the alliance leadership announced postponement of March 26 anti-government long march due to differences over the issue of submitting en masse resignations from the assemblies. As a delaying tactic the PPP has sought more time to reconsider its position on the issue of en masse resignations. Till the time the PPP would come back after an in-house discussion in its (CEC), the long march will remain postponed. It seems PDM will move ahead without the involvement of PPP.

Playing double game at the same time with establishment and PDM, Zardari and Bilawal believe that a bird in hand is worth two in the bush. Zardari has said No to PDM because he has said Yes to the real power house. Now all the Opposition parties are preparing themselves for next parliamentary elections. With the demand of return of Nawaz Sharif, Zardari has offered PPP as an alternative choice of the establishment. Zardari is not ready to leave IK as the only available choice of the establishment in near future at all. The PTI’s anti PMLN moves have politically benefitted Nawaz Sharif and Maryam Nawaz. Besides all odds popularity graph of PMLN has gone higher.

Asif Zardari believes that Nawaz Sharif has been living in London in self-exile for more than a year and needs to return to the country, if he wants to get resignations of PPP. Is not it a strange demand as PDM partner ?

Visibly upset over Zardari’s dafforing moves, Maulana immediately left the press briefing after making a short statement, leaving behind the long-faced (PPP) and (PML-N) leaders to respond to a volley of hard-hitting questions. Nine parties are in favour of resigning from the assemblies during the long march, but only the PPP has reservations over this thinking and sought time to discuss the matter again in its CEC which has been granted. What would be the strategy of the nine parties if the PPP continued to stick to its position? Would after the PPP CEC meeting Maryam like to comment on Zardari and Bilawal’s response? The PPP would soon call the CEC meeting to discuss the matter. How soon? It is not told. The PPP had sought time after the leaders of other parties bracketed the March 26 march with resignations. Since the PPP members in the previous CEC meeting had opposed the idea of resigning from the assemblies, it became necessary for them to take the matter again to the CEC. Asif Zardari believes that Nawaz Sharif has been living in London in self-exile for more than a year and needs to return to the country, if he wants to get resignations of PPP. Is not it a strange demand as PDM partner?

Zardari has asked Nawaz Sharif to return to the country to launch a joint “struggle”. However, Maryam believes that asking Nawaz Sharif to return to the country at this stage was like handing his life over to the murderers. The office-holders of the PML-N, its leaders and its voters do not want to see the life of Mian Sahib in danger. Maryam needs to have alive leaders and not their dead bodies. Maryam believes that Allah has bestowed her father a new life. Undoubtedly, the PML-N, and its voters need Nawaz Sharif’s life and political experience. Pakistan already has lost many leaders which has caused damage to the country. Nawaz Sharif had faced imprisonment and suffered heart attacks while in custody. The PTI government had allowed him to go abroad in a panic after seeing that his life and their rule were in danger. Nawaz Sharif will come back at his own but after assurances of life security and his active and effective role in politics. In his absence Maryam Nawaz has proved herself true potential representative of Nawaz Sharif. Till the moment the PML-N is united under the leadership of Nawaz Sharif. Confrontation oriented PTI lead government has refused to talk to relatively mild Shahbaz Sharif and Asif Zardari.

Maryam Nawaz recently has an argument with Zardari when the later took firm stance on the resignations issue and asked PML-N’s supremo Nawaz Sharif to return to the country if he wants to have a decisive battle against the PTI government. Zardari and Nawaz Sharif should not make such decisions which may force PDM leaders to part ways. Such a situation would only be beneficial for the enemies of democracy. Will the PPP hand over resignations to Nawaz Sharif if he returns to the country with former finance minister Ishaq Dar, who has also been living in self-exile in London for the past over three years? Zardari taunted the PML-N chief by saying Dar did not come to Pakistan to cast his vote during the recent elections of Senate Chairman and Deputy Chairman which they had contested jointly from the PDM’s platform. Ishaq Dar had won the Senate poll in 2018 in his absence, but has not yet taken oath as Senator. Zardari is not ready for the war, because probably his domicile is different. Mian Sahib lashes because he represents Punjab. Zardari is not ready to set his yachts ablaze at all. Zardari thinks that after tendering resignations and coming out of the assemblies, PDM would only be strengthening the hands of the establishment and IK. Democratic parties should fight within the parliament and not on the mountains. After having spent 14 years in jail Zardari now provokes Nawaz Sharif to face the bar for the sake of the country and the nation. If decided in near future PDM will have to mobilise the masses for long march like those of Benazir Bhutto when she returned to the country twice first in 1986 and then in 2007. PDM was formed to kick PTI government. At the beginning resignations from PTI were demanded. Ultimatums and dead lines were given. PDM followed one point agenda of ending the PTI rule but at the end PPP and PMLN have started blaming each other. Has reluctant PPP damaged the cause of PDM? PMLN and JUI leaderships have decided to move ahead along with other PDM parties with full strength if PPP keeps itself halted. Nawaz Sharif ‘s Gujranwala speech was big blow ( dhachka) to Bilawal and Zardari’s recent speech is big jolt (dhachka) to Nawaz Sharif. Isn’t it?

The writer is book ambassador, columnist, political analyst and author of several books based in Islamabad. He can be reached at naveedamankhan @hotmail.com