- Choices and results
All handlings of PML-N seem in the hands of Nawaz Sharif’s daughter Maryam. She is the main authority of ruling party’s top decision-making body. Authorising Maryam is a sign Nawaz wants to keep the strings in his hands and doesn’t want to hand over the party’s top position to anybody else.
Maryam rose to the scene of government when Nawaz got sick and secondly with the Dawn leaks. Since then, she has made several appearances in the public, always lashing out on sensitive institutions of the country. Imran Khan is the other person under attack by her with offensive and grimy language which doesn’t suit a female.
Maryam Nawaz was named as an alternate authority in the government when Nawaz was hospitalised in London for more than two months. She was in-charge for the day to day affairs of the country with Ishaq Dar as her main aide, unfortunately for this ill-fated country. She was not a member of the parliament, she had no proper appointment in the government set-up, yet she was all in all in the absence of Nawaz Sharif, as if this is a “kingdom” and she is the “princess” to hold the controls in the absence of her “king” father. Maryam held office at the opaque, all-powerful party organ where top state affairs are decided.
Maryam rose to the scene of government when Nawaz got sick and secondly with the Dawn leaks. Since then, she has made several appearances in the public, always lashing out on sensitive institutions of the country
It makes her the second woman in political circle to join the exclusive club after Benazir, who held powerful roles in the foreign office when her father ruled the country.
Since she is just the daughter of Nawaz Sharif, politically untrained, having arrogant, snobbish and rude behaviour towards every person in the party even to the senior party-men, she has made a dent in the party circles. Senior party members see her as a threat and a challenge to their leadership and expect the worst possible relations with the national institutions, because of her adolescent and juvenile behaviour.
Unlike Benazir Bhutto, who was trained and promoted as a political leader during her father’s tenure and then she got more mature after facing more than a decade of stress and struggle to keep the party united and intact, Maryam has no political eminence or vision. She must remember Nawaz Sharif has risen to power at an unprecedented pace, which is largely based on special favour and support of Gen Gillani and Gen Zia ul Haq.
Hamza Shahbaz and other senior party members are not the only ones to oppose her activities. Many members of the party feel that the party remained intact because of Hamza and other senior members like Raja Zafar ul Haq, Zulfiqar Khosa and others when Sharifs were in exile.
Nawaz Sharif estranged Shahbaz and Hamza for appointment of a new prime minster, after the legal battle which disqualified him as the prime minister or as a politician for his lifetime. Sharifs, when in exile, his family’s dynasty was wisely controlled by Hamza, who at present is also a member of the national assembly, was ignored for appointment on the highest seat. Though it’s a good example on part of Nawaz Sharif that instead a family member, a party member other than family was nominated for premiership, but Maryam’s interference and abusive language has forced the senior members of the party to part ways. Having previously only occasionally appearances in public, the heiress is trying to move to the front line of politics.
Apart from her age, she has little knowledge of politics and administration. She was never publicly identified as a political leader. If Nawaz wants her to become “Benazir”, she requires a lot of training, politically, administratively and morally as well.
Mainly, it’s not a hierarchy where some blood relation takes over the highest seat, there are more experienced and intelligent members in PML-N to come forward. Nawaz Sharif should try to be honest to politics as well as to the nation and try to build a political party not a family chain of command.
Nawaz Sharif and family should always keep in mind while considering themselves “Royals of no land” they all must realise Nawaz is the son of a blacksmith and his veins don’t carry ‘royal blood’. Our public should also try to understand the difference between the two. I would like to repeat my earlier written words;
Everything in life is a reflection of a choice you have made, if you want a different result, make a different choice.