Hanging by a Thread By Khurram Altaf

13 Oct, 1999. The sobbing photo of Nawaz Sharif made to the front page of every single newspaper in Pakistan.

This photo cried of helplessness, regret and remorse. Everyone, including myself empathized to some extent at his possible fate. “He’s going to the gallows” predicted most political analysts. Even the safest ones declared it to be the end of Shareef Dynasty. It just seemed justified.

Ordering the diversion of an aircraft carrying COAS in uniform to land on a traditional enemy’s ground where he could’ve, nay would’ve, been taken as a prisoner and interrogated and/or tortured for classified information , or worse, killed, can be easily classified as blatant treason by any standards. And as treason is punishable by death, the political analysts weren’t really off-target in their analyses.

But God had different plans.

I wonder if it was the plight of his weeping daughter Maryam, or the prayers of his ailing father Mohammad Shareef which knocked the Divine doors and Nawaz Shareef was granted an exit he arguably did not deserve.

From 1999 to 2008 as a Royal guest of Saudi Arabian kingdom, he had the convenience to reminisce on his wrongdoings – a chance usually given to most while sitting in a death cell or serving life. 9 years is a long time to analyze past life and I have no doubt Nawaz Shareef must have given it a thorough thought from every angle.

But did he assimilate the governing lesson?

The highly controversial win in 2013 elections entrusted him with an unbelievable opportunity to a fresh start. The shoes he had to fill weren’t big either as he was undertaking an office left by the historically corrupt PPP government where rupee had plunged to record low, foreign debt had soared sky high, energy crisis had gotten worse and the common man was forced to live in the most miserable conditions ever in the 66 years of Pakistani history. PPP’s poor performance wasn’t easy to match - it would’ve taken a bunch of heartless and mindless lunatics with no skills and zero credibility to replicate the lows set by PPP government.

And yet, PMLN somehow managed to do exactly that.

A single right move, a single sane attempt at settling common man’s troubles would’ve brought immense relief to the suppressed nation. A slight sign of betterment would’ve made the public grateful to the Shareef Family for generations. One step in the right direction would’ve rendered Imran Khan’s protests irrelevant – the common man wouldn’t have complained of rigging had his miseries been addressed.

A satisfied nation doesn’t protest. A well fed community doesn’t grumble. But the numbers at Karachi, Lahore and Multan Jalsas tell another story. They are a clear implication of how unsatisfied and frustrated this nation is.

Nawaz Shareef’s government is now hanging by a thread – a situation he has imposed upon himself for the 3rd time since 1993.

In just one and half year, with the aide of corruption, kickbacks, monopolizing industry, lavish expense of public finances on self-projection in multi-million rupee ads, open portrayal of being above the law and anti-Pakistan sentiments, Nawaz Shareef has managed to deem himself more vulnerable than he was on 12th October, 1999. Owing to his greed of becoming a Shah, a Tsar, a King, His Highness Nawaz Shareef has done what his staunchest of opponents could not achieve.

Nawaz Shareef has put an end to the Shareef Dynasty.

by webmaster@insaf.pk (tkiadmin)