Nawaz Sharif makes overtures to voters
Nawaz Sharif is capable of taking enormous pressure as his past record amply proves. The crisis he faces currently is, however, by no means ordinary. Stated simply, his political career is at stake. Six family members including Nawaz Sharif were called by the JIT for questioning. Three were required to appear more than once. Nawaz Sharif looked worried as daughter Maryam Nawaz was called for questioning. Maintaining composure in public, Sharif has claimed that he had done nothing wrong and would be given a clean chit by the JIT. He knows that the Supreme Court will take time to deliver its verdict. He has also hired some of the best lawyers available in the country who will be on the lookout to exploit any weak point in the evidence collected against the Sharif family. The Prime Minister meanwhile seems to be mentally ready for all eventualities including fresh elections if needed.
Having covered the legal side as best as he could, Sharif has concentrated on projecting his image as a Prime Minister fully dedicated to the welfare of his people. He has abandoned the easy going style of work that had characterised him before the Panama case. Sharif is constantly on the move, cutting ribbons of development projects, at times more than once, missing no opportunity for photo ops that can pay off in the elections. Recently he cut short his London visit to be on the side of the victims of Bahawalpur tragedy. On Wednesday and Thursday he was in Dushanbe where he held meetings with Tajik, Kyrgyz and Afghan Presidents. On Friday he proceeded to inaugurate a power plant at Haveli Bahadur Shah.
The fiercest opposition to Sharif in his stronghold of Punjab comes from the PTI. Here the PML-N is strongly entrenched in the local governments whereas the PTI has failed to make any inroads. In the worst case scenario even if Nawaz Sharif is disqualified, the PML-N government will remain in power while Sharif will continue to control and lead the party from behind as an éminence grise.