- No option but to fight the cases
The fortunes of former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif have been on the decline for the last three years. In 2017 he was sent packing by the Supreme Court for not being ‘honest’ and ‘ameen’. In 2018 he was made to hand over the office of the President of the PML-N on the basis of the same judgment. Towards the end of 2018, Nawaz was sentenced to seven years of rigorous imprisonment in the Al-Azizia reference. On Thursday, the Islamabad High Court rejected his petition seeking suspension of the sentence and release on bail on medical grounds. The former Prime Minister, who is still fighting the cases against him, remains the eminence grise of the PML-N despite the incarceration and the propaganda by his opponents.
Former President Asif Ali Zardari’s tribulations started in July last year when investigations in the fake accounts case led to the inclusion of his and sibling Faryal Talpur’s name in the mega-corruption case. Soon his name was put on the ECL, along with 12 others, by the Supreme Court. In September the apex court formed a JIT to probe the fake accounts case against Zardari and acquaintances. Early this month, NAB arrested Mr Zardari after the cancellation of his pre-arrest bail by the Islamabad High Court in the fake accounts case. On Friday, an accountability court handed him over to NAB custody till July 2. It remains to be seen if Mr Zardari is acquitted or sentenced as in the case of Nawaz Sharif. Like the PML-N leader, Mr Zardari too continues to command the loyalty of his party.
The PML-N leader, represented by daughter Maryam, is all for the ouster of the PTI government. The PPP leader has a more nuanced policy. He is willing to formulate a joint economic charter with the PTI, which he considers the need of the time. Failing that, he wants the political forces, that is, the opposition to overthrow the government. The PTI is however unwilling to play ball with either of the two leaders. Neither the PML-N nor the PPP consider a countrywide agitation a viable option at present. Both the elder politicians will therefore have to patiently fight cases in the courts despite their physical ailments.
