Nawaz must face the music
These are interesting political times, to say the least. With the Sharif family’s political future at stake, and Imran Khan struggling to avoid the axe, and PPP still not able to find its feet ever since the ’13 rout, everything is up for grabs, as they say, as the clock ticks to the next election.
But there’s a lot more to come first. Not the least the NA-120 decider today. A blow to the Sharifs here may well seal their fate. But even if they waltz through, like always, what of the optics in case of a much narrower margin?
To make sense of all that, and a lot more, DNA talked exclusive to leader of the opposition in the National Assembly, Khurshid Shah.
Question: Mian Nawaz Sharif postponed his return to Pakistan on 8 September. Do you think it was due to his wife’s bad health or there is some other reason as well? Zardari sb seems to think Nawaz’s career is over. Do you agree?
Khurshid Shah: Naturally, his wife is not feeling well and he has to be with her. During the current political scenario they have told the masses that Mian Sahib is abroad because his wife is not well and he is by her side. But extending his tenure abroad is raising some serious questions that he (Nawaz Sharif) is avoiding returning and watching his review petition in the Supreme Court. Probably that’s why he postponed his return. I think that is not good for him, he should come back and face the cases if he is interested in doing politics here.
Remember how Pervez Musharraf stopped Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto and he even said that he would not allow her to enter the country. He (Musharraf) said the same for Nawaz as well. But time and tide proved that SMBB returned to Pakistan. So, I think that Nawaz Sharif is avoiding it but it doesn’t suit him because of the claims he made during his speeches in the GT Road rally and later.
Q: You also know that Nawaz Sharif and his family had this stance that they would not appear before NAB till the court gives the verdict about their filed review petitions?
KS: The problem is that the country should not have two laws for different individuals. The same government placed the names of former Prime ministers Yousuf Raza Gilani and Raja Pervez Ashraf on Exit Control List after the references. They established this custom themselves whether those references were fake or genuine I don’t want to go into details. We have other examples as well. The names of Sharjeel Memon and Dr Asim were also placed on ECL. It shows that there are two laws in the country. Why is NAB not taking action against (Nawaz Sharif) and putting his name on ECL? Although he might get permission from court later but NAB should perform its duty so that people could see that justice prevails in the country and the law is same for every individual.
Q: The Supreme Court said NAB seems to be an insurance policy of Sharif family. Do you think that this impression is right? Secondly, from the same NAB during the same tenure the benefit of clean chits is being enjoyed by Asif Ali Zardari as he hsd been cleared in six references. How do you see this?
KS: This impression is being developed because of the current situation. NAB and NAB courts are two different things. The prosecution applied as much pressure as they could but there was no evidence against Zardari sahib so the court decided in his favour. As far as Nawaz Sharif is concerned a reference had been filed after which one has to get bail and the name is placed on ECL but we haven’t witnessed it yet. You will see many things in the days to come for the review of Hudaibiya Mills case Sheikh Rasheed moved to Supreme Court instead of NAB. It is a very important case as it has both Shehbaz Sharif and Hamza Shehbaz who were not in other cases and after Hubaibiya case another money trail would open up.
Q: Do you think the decision against Nawaz Sharif was somewhat weak and it gave space to the Sharif family to create a narrative revolving around Iqama?
KS: No, it wasn’t the iqama only it was just the name behind it; there was FZE Capital which gave iqama and also transferred billions to Hill Metals Establishment. Where is that money from and into whose account it is going? It’s okay you are member and haven’t received 10,000 in salary but you are giving trail of 1.2 billion and the money is going from same account so you have to answer for it. So, it is not iqama there are 1.2 billion behind it.
Q: Even after this all the reports coming from NA-120 show voters are buying this narrative of PML-N. What does that show?
KS: Naturally, such is the political trend in the country since forever. For one thing, there are always die hard workers in political parties. For them, no such decision matters, which is unfortunate. People should not lose sight of ground realities.
Secondly, this is a by-election. Everybody knows that the incumbent has an easy ride in by-elections in our country. The whole provincial government machinery is behind the candidate.
But the real measure of a party’ popularity graph comes at the time of the general election. It is then that we will know how people really feel about the parties since a caretaker government will be overseeing the vote.
Q: Some senior leaders in PML-N had this reservation that Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan is toeing the line of establishment. What do you think?
KS: These days we don’t know who is toeing whose line. Nisar had a political career of 35 years; whether right or wrong. I think he should not be indecisive now and must take a decision. People from PML-N say that he is toeing the line of ‘someone’ else. He gave great pain to Mian sahib in all times during these last three four years and also troubled him.
Now his statements also show that they have some sort of conflict both within and outside the party. He openly discussed about his conflict and reservations with Maryam Nawaz Sharif. He also had conflict with party ministers. So, it is better if he takes a decision.
Democratically, it is healthy to have difference of opinion within the party. It is not a political party if it doesn’t have disagreements. Our party had many hard consultations in SMBB’s time and do so even today. But those consultations were never leaked in the media. It is against party discipline to share the disagreements with your party in press conferences.
Q: Do you think Shahid Khaqan Abbasi is not completely accepted as prime minister?
KS: Shahid Khaqan Abbasi is a very good selection by PML-N. But according to our information they have placed Fawad Hasan Fawad ahead of him and he is not letting him work. He (Fawad) had a group of 21 bureaucrats with him consisting of secretaries, additional secretaries and chief secretaries who won’t retire for six years. Who would he let Shahid Khaqan work?
There are so many stories coming about Fawad Hasan Fawad that he owns a building worth 60 crores which he constructed after borrowing loan from JS Bank, for example. Some people are saying he has more than 30 bank accounts. So, the problem is Nawaz Sharif placed him ahead of Shahid Khaqan Abbasi. The ministers from PML-N aren’t accepting Shahid Khaqan Abbasi as PM by heart. They are not attending meetings chaired by the PM because they can see that decisions are being taken by Fawad Hasan Fawad. They made him the prime minister but he doesn’t have the powers of a PM.