Mushahid Hussain calls on Nawaz, joins PML-N

• Mushahid likely to get PML-N’s technocrat ticket for the Senate seat from Islamabad

ISLAMABAD: In a surprise move, Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) former secretary general Senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed called on PML-Nawaz (PML-N) chief Nawaz Sharif at Raiwind House and announced to join the ruling party.

Sources privy to the development told Pakistan Today that Senator Mushahid had been invited to join the party since long but the disqualification of Nawaz Sharif had made Mushahid change his mind.

“Since long, Mushahid was planning to join Nawaz Sharif; and the decision by Chaudhry Shujaat to relieve him of the responsibilities of the PML-Q’s secretary general had given him a moral face-saving and an excuse for joining the PML-N. But sudden disqualification of Sharif and his subsequent bitter criticism of military had made Mushahid change his mind and he refrained from joining the party,” the source said.

The upcoming elections however compelled Mushahid to take a decision now as only the PML-N had the numerical strength to get him elected either from Punjab or the federal capital, the source added.

According to the PML-N sources, Mushahid Hussein is likely to be given the party’s technocrat ticket for the Senate seat of the federal capital.

Besides, Mushahid, the PML-N is mulling over awarding tickets to Sartaj Aziz for another Senate seat from Islamabad after the Election Commission of Pakistan issued the Senate election’s schedule for two seats of the federal capital on Sunday, following grant of related approval by President Mamnoon Hussain.

“On the invitation of the PML-N president, Senator Mushahid Hussain visited Raiwind where Nawaz Sharif invited him to join the party, wherein he accepted the invitation to join PML-N,” said an official statement issued by Mushahid Hussain Sayed.

The statement quoted Nawaz as saying that Senator Mushahid would be “an asset for the PML-N”.

“Mushahid said at this critical juncture in the country, Nawaz deserves full support in the struggle to preserve democracy, particularly the sanctity of the ballot,” the statement added.

Later, the senator also had a meeting with Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif at his residence, who also warmly welcomed him into the folds of the PML-N.

The political analysts are surprised by the move taken by Senator Mushahid to join the PML-N, who, of late, has adopted a harsh line against the military establishment as well as the judiciary.

However, PML-N Chairman Senator Raja Zafarul Haq defended Mushahids decision, saying that it was a welcoming step.

“Senator Mushahid is a talented politician whose contribution to the democratic process has been enormous. I feel his joining would further strengthen the party,” he said.

He said Mushahid had performed well in the Senate and he also was instrumental as the chairman of the Senate Defence Committee.

Asked whether Senator Mushahid’s decision was in contradiction with the political posture adopted by Nawaz Sharif, as Mushahid Hussain traditionally has aligned himself with the military establishment, he said: “I don’t think that Nawaz Sharif is adopting the politics of ‘Centre-Left’. Rather, he is a politician of ‘Centre-Right’ and would remain so,” asserted Raja Zafarul Haq.

He was of the view that Nawaz Sharif was posturing not as an anti-establishment politician and rather he was ‘anti-injustice’ politician. “I feel Nawaz Sharif is pro-democracy and pro-justice. By nature, Nawaz Sharif’s politics is of Centre-Right,” he added.

Asked whether Nawaz’s anti-military rhetoric, that already has sidelined Ch Nisar Ali Khan and Raja Zafarul Haq himself, would affect induction of Mushahid Hussain Sayed to the party, he said: “Mushahid Hussain’s joining the PML-N would go down well with the Sharifs, as despite the Sharifs knew his [Zafar] tilt towards the military establishment, it was heartening to note that he was being given due respect by the party leadership which should be an encouraging sign for people like Mushahid.”

Political analyst Imtiaz Alam was of the view that contacts between Mushahid Hussain and Nawaz Sharif were on for a long time but the Senate elections had eventually culminated in a deal between the two.

“Perhaps Mian Nawaz wants to give some assignment to Mushahid who had no other option but to join the PML-N as his term ends in March. The PML-N is the only party which can get him elected to Senate from Punjab or the federal capital,” he said.

Asked whether Nawaz Sharif would use good contacts of Senator Mushahid to reconcile with the military, Imtiaz Alam said Nawaz Sharif had many options available if he wanted a deal with the military.

“Perhaps, Prime Minister Abbasi is the best man to deliver in case Main sahib wants to reconcile. Then there is his own younger brother, Shehbaz Sharif, who can deliver on this count. So in my view, Nawaz Sharif would use Mushahid for a job others can’t do. He might be given foreign ministry or any other task,” he added.