- Sharif brothers’ adventures in the Holy Land
When that wiliest of Pakistani politicians Asif Zardari cannot comprehend or explain away a specific event involving fellow politicians whom he otherwise knows inside out, it is to be assumed that the situation is truly intricate and mystifying. About the Sharif’s inexplicable latest pilgrimage to Riyadh, one by invitation or summons, the other seemingly an instance of panicked gatecrashing, even the shrewd ‘Zardari uber alles’ confessed he was totally in the dark about the true ends behind the visit, as indeed were analysts and ordinary mortals. In one respect Zardari was absolutely correct, that the secretive trip had opened the floodgates for all sorts of speculations and rumours, with gossip factories working overtime. And some of these conjectures were not flattering or pleasant to the brothers.
Workaholic Shahbaz Sharif left suddenly on December 27 aboard a Saudi aircraft sent specially for his convenience, leaving the affairs of his province rudderless for a week, while disqualified elder brother followed on December 30 in humbler environment on a commercial flight. Although exact details are still shrouded in secrecy, the crowning, so to speak, achievement of the reportedly now feuding brothers was in their separate meetings with that great mover and shaker, the Saudi Crown Prince. These encounters were condescendingly belated, as both were compelled to cool their heels for a couple of days, and in Nawaz Sharif’s case, the meeting was put off virtually till the eleventh hour. However our local female version of serial tweeter Donald Trump was finally able to crow about her father’s audience. The Punjab CM, with starry eyes said to be set on the prime ministership returned first while the ex-PM followed later on. The parliament and the people remain in the dark about the recent mysterious goings-on in Riyadh. With one brother politically a king-in-exile and the other being threatened with grave cases, the Saudis need to tread carefully with the controversial siblings, to retain their general goodwill and respect among Pakistani politicians and citizens.
