The naysayers should take a break
Recently there has been a lot of hue and cry regarding the use of a dedicated Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) aircraft to transport Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and his necessary staff back to Pakistan. It is beyond belief why this is such a major concern because heads of state have been using, special planes from national flag carriers for their trips abroad since many years. This is a practice which is a convention worldwide, so for there to be uproar in this regard seems to be an attempt on the part of some person or persons who have an agenda to malign the PM, come what may. All former heads of state or chief executives including Benazir Bhutto, Shaukat Aziz, Pervez Musharraf, Yusuf Raza Gilani, Raja Pervez Ashraf and Asif Ali Zardari have been using PIA planes; it’s not a new occurrence so why make it controversial?
Due to the Prime Minister’s health issues, PM Office had partly been shifted to London, where a small camp office had been set up which of course had to be shifted back to Pakistan on his return. So along with the PM his staff also returned. The cost was kept minimal and PIA had been informed well in advance so that passengers of the carrier would not face any inconvenience. It is on record that a proper request had been made by Ministry of Foreign Affairs to PIA for arranging an aircraft for PM Nawaz Sharif’s return journey. So it was all transparently done with no need to hide any issues.
Following the austerity drive of the PMLN Government, while traveling to UK, Prime Minister traveled in the small seven seater, ‘Gulf Stream Jet’ but after the surgery it was not advisable to fly in the small jet, because there are more pressure changes inside a small jet, and air flights and the hours of immobilisation involved can produce blood clots even in normal healthy persons, and PM Nawaz Sharif after his heart surgery was far more susceptible to clot formation; it was important for him to walk about and move in the plane. Surely no one can begrudge the PM taking extra precautions regarding his health.
Instead of focusing on non-issues the naysayers should perhaps focus on the fact that the PM is back and more than able to do the job that he has been elected for. His premiership and his leadership are not in question. All those clamoring for his removal should realize that he is after all a human being and for him to fall sick was not in his control. He has shown strength and resilience and his timely return has proved that the nation and its people are his top most priority.
Immediately after his return the PM had a meeting to take stock of the political and security situation in the country. Although he had been continuously updated on all important matters while in the UK he ensured he be brought up to speed regarding all issues upon his return. He is very much back in the saddle and rest assured he knows what are the necessary prerogatives of a leader. Those who are trying to undermine his authority should realize that it is a useless exercise for he has the mandate of the people, and since the people are with him he need not worry about anyone else. If anyone must criticise they should criticise policies and not the personality or health of the premier. If there is a political grievance it can be sorted in the political arena for that the PM is always ready, for he knows how to take on his detractors head on.
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has the backing of the people and now that his health is no longer an issue I am sure he will be able to give his full attention to matters of state and justify that backing. And the naysayers should take a rest.