He deliberately ignites extremism, violence, racialism and provincialism; he creates class differences and an atmosphere of fear and helplessness; he introduces a flawed and class-based education system; he promotes ignorance, nepotism, favouritism and uses beautiful words and slogans to deceive innocent people; he does not follow ethics, morality, patriotism, constitution, rules and regulations and plunders the country and his people unscrupulously. In short, he makes a society, nation and country corrupt just to increase his wealth, power and prolong his rule. He becomes the real Prince of Machiavelli.
This time, after the Independent and Guardian's articles published in the 1990s and BBC documentary, the Panama leaks have unmasked alleged corruption and economic treachery of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s family. After these leaks, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif is under tremendous pressure to answer all the allegations levelled by the PTI and other opposition parties. But, he is not willing to answer and accept his corruption, economic treachery and unpatriotic actions. He is using all his shrewdness and government's resources to tackle this crisis. He is holding public gatherings and announcing development projects just to please the people and cover up the Panama leaks.
In two weeks, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has made stops in five cities, Kotli Sattiyan on April 25, Mansehra on April 28, Quetta on May 2, Bannu on May 3 and Sukkur on May 6 and announced development projects. Interestingly, during the Kottli Sattiyan tour, he has committed a blunder by inaugurating the project fourth time. This not only shows his cunning nature but also his worriedness and pressure. Then, he has also visited foreign countries, especially the UK and Turkey, for getting expert advice from his foreign friends to tackle this crisis.
In stead of giving answers to the allegations, the PM and his PML-N ministers and members are shamelessly putting allegations of corruption on other political leaders, especially on Imran Khan, etc. It is also a very strange thing that the PM has equated those talking of Panama leaks with terrorists. This shows that the PM does not like criticism. Imran Khan has aptly said, “it is the right of opposition parties to ask questions from the leader in a democratic country”. But Nawaz Sharif is not willing to understand the true nature and meanings of democracy. This policy is not working well for the PM and his PML- N government as it has united all the major political parties, including the PTI, PPP, JI and PML-Q against the PM. After seeing Nawaz Sharif's "Mugal e Azam " style and a strong reaction from the people and media, opposition parties, including the PPP, which has earned its repute as a friendly opposition, have put forward seven questions and urged the PM to answer them in the parliament. Nawaz Sharif has blankly refused to answer these questions, saying that he was “not accountable to the opposition and that he would not be answering in parliament the seven questions the opposition had for him as well as a host of supplementary questions”.
There is no escape [from the questionnaire],” Opposition Leader in the Senate Aitzaz Ahsan said while addressing the media after a meeting of the opposition parties at Parliament House. Shah Mahmood Qureshi thought otherwise. “It seems the government has no answers and its attitude reflects they are running away,” the PTI leader said.
On the other hand, moments after the opposition meeting, Talal Chaudhry, Zubair Umer and Danyal Aziz hit back at the opposition parties. “Those who have over 150 offshore companies are asking us questions,” Chaudhry retorted while referring to the leaders of PTI and PPP.
The opposition also continuously staged a walkout from the National Assembly in protest against the absence of PM Nawaz. Due to this pressure, the PM had to attend the parliament. But, he was not be able to answer the questions and prove his innocence. It is also a fact that he would not resign on moral grounds. While, the opposition parties, especially the PTI, will not let this issue die.
Then, two very important new developments, the army chief's meeting with the PM and the chief justice of Pakistan Anwar Zaheer Jamali's refusal to form a “toothless” commission, have also occurred.
Last month, the government had sent a letter to the Supreme Court registrar, requesting that the Chief Justice constitute a high-level judicial commission to investigate the veracity of the allegations against the Prime Minister and his family. In response to the government's request, a letter issued by the SC registrar says: “The formation of a commission under the Pakistan Commission of Inquiry Act 1956 (Act VI of 1956), looking to its limited scope will result in the constitution of a toothless commission, which will serve no useful purpose.” The letter observes that the terms of reference (ToR) of the proposed commission are so “wide and open” that “it may take years” for the commission to conclude proceedings. The letter also says that “before forming an opinion as to the formation of the inquiry commission, it is necessary to have the list of all individuals, families, groups, companies... along with some relevant particulars, against whom purported inquiry proceedings are to be held...” The Supreme Court has also asked the government to “reconsider and resolve the issue of formation of the commission under proper legislation” after which it will decide on the modalities of the inquiry commission”.
This rejection letter has given another blow to the PML-N government and his leader Nawaz Sharif’s effort to save his rule. Now, Nawaz Sharif and the PML-N are subject to form the TORs of a judicial commission after the consultation with the opposition parties. There is no other way for the PM and his government. But Nawaz Sharif has already refused to answer the seven questions put forward by the opposition in the Parliament. He deems himself above the law and not accountable to the opposition. On the other hand, the opposition parties are united and want to start the investigation from the Prime Minister first. So, there will be a political deadlock regarding the formation of TORs in the coming days.
Then, Army Chief Raheel Sharif also met with Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. There are reports that the Army Chief had asked the PM to resolve the Panama leaks issue as soon as possible. This shows that there is tension between the army and Nawaz Sharif’s government which could shake up the political superstructure. There are many sources of tension between the Army and Sharif’s government. The first source of tension was Nawaz Sharif’s decision to prosecute General (retd.) Pervez Musharraf for treason. The second source of tension was Mr. Sharif’s decision to hold endless rounds of futile talks with the Pakistani Taliban in 2014. This gave the Taliban an opportunity to slip away and regroup, making the army’s task more difficult. The third source of tension came from the alleged ISI’s role in helping and staging Imran Khan’s dharna at D Chowk in Islamabad for overthrowing Sharif’s government. The fourth source of tension arose from Mr. Sharif’s desire to mend fences with India without consulting the army. Nawaz Sharif has not even spoken anything publicly against the capture of an Indian spy. Then, Nawaz Sharif has opposed the military’s “clean-up operation” against terrorism in the Punjab. The sixth source of tension is the military has linked terrorism with corruption. Nawaz Sharif does not like it. Then, the army is not happy with the Foreign Office’s inability to clinch the F-16 deal in Washington.
All the above-mentioned developments clearly manifest that Nawaz Sharif and his government are in a real trouble. The Panama leaks storm is threatening the rule of Nawaz Sharif and many analysts believe that Nawaz Sharif’s days are numbered.
Ayaz Amir, a famous columnist, writes: “This is the writing on the wall and even loyalist mediamen — coming into their colour and fully exposing themselves — and partisans of the Sharifian order would be recognising this, if not openly then in their heart of hearts. The outlook for the Sharifovs is not just grim. It is fast hurtling to the point of no return. All because the evasions are not working and the charges thrown up by the leaks are just too damning to go away just like that. Go to the web and type in the words 1 Hyde Park and you’ll get all you need to know of the luxury flats in the possession of this poor-friendly family which, off and on, in the name of the people has been ruling Pakistan for the last 30 years….But, since there is a limit to everything and even the Roman Empire eventually came to an end – otherwise Gibbon would have had no cause to write his Down and Fall — the days of wine and roses for the Sharifs are in danger of coming to an end because a) the questions raised by the leaks are too pressing and b) the Sharifs, furrow their brows and scratch their heads as they may, are unable to come up with any convincing answers. So the crisis born out of this shot from the heavens — for the ISI or any sister agency has had no hand in creating this bombshell — is not just lingering and refusing to go away, it is becoming more serious by the day. The clouds are gathering and the horizon is darkening and the clocks are ticking and yet all that the Sharifs can think of is one futile evasion after the other”.
Cyril Almeida also describes the situation in these words: “Panama is not going away. Yes, Panama is also about the political ambitions of Imran. Yes, Panama is because of the institutional interests of the boys. Yes, Panama is about the anti-democratic agenda of sections of the media. But there’s also the original truth: we only have Panama because Nawaz chose to do dodgy things and then let his family do dodgy things. So, do we blame the vultures or the one who gave us the corpse?”
Clock is ticking and we all are waiting for the final act very anxiously.
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