Dramatic dash home of Nawaz Sharif and Ishaq Dar
Pakistan politics has turned into an intense snakes and ladders game of political intrigues and personal vendettas, which is increasingly being fought not in the people’s Parliament, the rightful arena to debate and resolve contentious issues, but rather within the hallowed environs of an overwhelmed superior judiciary and bureaucratic offices of the Election Commission. And what a confusing and bewildering process it has been and still is, with its sudden about-turns, ups and downs, initial defiant non-appearances in Accountability Court, the sudden London flight of the main protagonists and their, for political rivals, quite unexpected return, so that the pundits as well as the man in the street are hard put to follow in the wake of the swiftly shifting and perplexing scenarios.
The disqualified former prime minister thought discretion the better part of valour, and heeding the studied advice of his legal team rather than the emotional ‘should not, must not’ tweets of his ambitious daughter, decided to appear before the NAB Accountability Court. Perhaps he was emboldened by the twin successes in the NA-120 by-election and the unlikely, indeed incredible, passage in the Senate of Election Bill 2017 which now allow him a formal foothold in politics by donning the mantle of PML-N party president, and these might also have acted as incentives to ignore his oft-repeated reservations about the credibility of and contradictions in the accountability process, of an alleged judge, jury and executioner element. Finance Minister Ishaq Dar also surprisingly showed up in court literally at the very last minute, whereas the general conjecture and all signs were against this eventuality. But Dar rightfully ought to have resigned the day NAB froze his assets and the Accountability Court issued his arrest warrants, if only to salvage some prestige and respect of his office, which involves vast international dealings.
The concerned NAB Accountability Courts should now strictly ensure that justice is seen to be done, and within the deadline set by the Supreme Court in its September 15 decision, to end the nation’s prolonged agony.
