Not all is well in Sharif Kingdom By Muhammad Osama Ashaqeen

They say “Don’t wash your dirty linen in public” but nobody told this to the sitting government of Pakistan. The government of Pakistan is fighting a battle, a battle with none but its own self. The current situation of sitting federal ministers blasting on each other in public is shambolic and embarrassing for ruling party. Questions have been raised, on how can a ruling party that can’t even get its own house in order will get Pakistan in order. Let me highlight the few battles going on within the ranks of PMLN.
Recently in a talk show Khuwaja Asif said “I have not talked to Chaudary Nisar in last 4 years.” To which Chaudary Nisar the very next day in a press conference replied, “I don’t need any defense minister’s permission to talk to GHQ.” Can anyone imagine the interior minister and defense minister aren’t in talking terms when the country is facing serious internal and external threats from all corners, be it Taliban, Raw, sectarian groups or recent emergence of ISIS in the region? Interior ministry needs resources and intelligence from defense ministry be it operation “Zarb-e-Azb”, Rangers led operation in Karachi or intelligence based raids all over Pakistan. It appears as if their egos are more important to them than this country.

On the other hand there’s another battle going on between Khuwaja Asif, Shahid Khaqan Abbasi against Ahsan Iqbal. Both Khuwaja Asif and Shahid Khaqan Abbasi have appeared on media and gone as far as saying “Ahsan Iqbals ministry is unnecessary and it shouldn’t exist” to which Ahsan Iqbal replied as a six year old would “I will complain it to the elders of the party.” Apparently Khuwaja Asif and Shahid Khaqan Abbasi are not satisfied with check and balances Ahsan Iqbal’s ministry is keeping on them, otherwise they will most likely blow away the money just as they did in Nandipur.

Then there is “Battle of Faisalabad” between Chaudary Sher Ali against Rana Sanaullah & Shahbaz Sharif. Although Sher Ali’s and Sanaullah’s have never been best of friends but recent ticket distribution in local body elections have brought the worst out of them. Chaudary Sher Ali in his most recent press conference blasted and revealed that “Rana Sanaullah is murderer of 20 people and by the end of this week I’ll give you names of all the victims.” He then further went on saying “If Shahbaz Sharif wants to humiliate me he should stop using someone as pity as Rana Sanaullah, my son Abid Sher Ali is ready to resign from his ministry.” He even questioned the recent victory of Ayaz Sadiq in Na-122 saying “Loss of Sharif’s nephew in PP147 and Ayaz Sadiq’s marginal victory in NA-122 was embarrassing to the party and a lesson to Shahbaz Sharif and his good governance.” To all this rant the only reply that came from either Shahbaz Sharif or Rana Sanaullah was “Chaudary Sher Ali is mentally unfit.” There should at least be inquiry in Chaudary Sher Ali’s serious allegations on Rana Sanaullah. One of them has to be punished, but then again no one was punished for model town incident so it’s highly unlikely even an inquiry will take place regarding these serious allegations against the law minister of Punjab.

Also news about the internal rift in the family is emerging, AGAIN! With Hamza Shahbaz and Maryam Nawaz trying to get ahead of each other as the likely successor of PMLN. Hamza Shahbaz was strictly against Maryam Nawaz campaigning in Na122 by-elections. After results Maryam Nawaz criticized her own cousin and family member’s loss on PP147. She tweeted “We lost provincial seat because our candidate had failed to deliver. PM has made it clear to all, either deliver or go home. Ppl come first.” But someone forgot to ask her why was he given party ticket if he hadn’t performed in the first place? Even Shahbaz Sharif and Nawaz Sharif are locking horns against each other, each wanting their own son/daughter to be party’s next leader. That’s one awkward family dinner table that I wouldn’t want to be part of.

A very popular news channels primetime headline read “Kaptaan say larty larty noon league apas mai lar parhi.” With Imran Khan breathing down the sitting government’s neck the ruling party can’t afford internal rifts. Even Imran Khan hasn’t done as much damage to PMLN as its own leaders have for either personal benefits or egos.

The above mentioned are only few rifts among the ruling party, otherwise I could go on rambling for days if I highlighted every fight for power within the party such as the ones between Chaudary Nisar vs Ishaq Dar, Zaeem Qadri vs Rana Mashood and Sheikh Waqas vs Khuwaja Asif. From the outside it looks like 3 groups have emerged in PMLN ranks led by Shahbaz Sharif, Nawaz Sharif and Chaudary Nisar but on closer inspection there appear to be many other small groups as well within the party. With two-thirds majority in Punjab and National assembly one would have thought PMLN would find it very easy to complete their tenure but if anything could throw their government it’s their own members inability to accept or work with each other. It’s high time for Sharif’s to get their house in order, before the Sharif sitting in GHQ decides to do it with his stick.

Osama Ashaqeen (Bachelors from Institute of Business Management in Marketing and Finance)
Twitter Handle: mosama1991

 

by webmaster@insaf.pk (tkiadmin)