Is Nawaz Marganilized?

Is Nawaz Marganilized?


It was May 13, 2006. A day before Nawaz Sharif and late Benazir Bhutto were going to sign Charter of Democracy; a historic document, equated by some to The Magna Carta.

The ceremony could run into problems, as a few members of PML-N team showed reservation in signing it at the residence of Rehman Malik-the ex-chief of FIA who had maltreated the late Mian Sahib. When the problem was brought to the notice of Nawaz Sharif, he thought for long time looking pensively into the faces of those sitting around him. There was complete silence in the room. Syed Ghaus Ali Shah’s face was blank, while all the others looked somber. I turned my face to look at Nawaz Sharif again, he was still thinking.

Then, he moved in his chair with slight unease. ‘We should sign it no matter where the place is. It’s an historic document and our personal feelings should not come in the way of this noble cause’.

I looked at him and realized in that moment he was one of the most misunderstood persons. His enemies called him a man with no vision or foresight. They ranked him an ordinary politician who got luck by becoming the prime minister twice. Contrarily, his colleagues respected him for taking difficult decisions at appropriate times. His friends loved him for keeping simplified social dignity. They saw a man with unmistaken ‘Haya’ in his eyes and respect for others. The decision he took there was far from simple politically. He kept his feelings distant when he took that decision


Over a year later, when Benazir Bhutto was holding secrete parleys with general Musharaf, against the specific clauses of CoD, Nawaz Sharif kept silent and did not criticize her. At the same time, he maintained his firm stand opposing the general for derailing the democracy. Here was a leader showing statesmanship despite being provoked by media to speak against Benazir Bhutto. His statesmanship became apparent during the days, when Aitezaz’s strong support to Ch Iftikhar became a sore point with Benazir Bhutto. The relationship between the two touched the lowest ebb. It was then, when a colleague suggested to Nawaz Sharif to exploit the situation to his political advantage. Nawaz Sharif sent him a message stating, ‘We do not want to play any tricks with her. Let’s think and play straight.’ That was July 23, 2007. The next day at the party’s office in Duke St, London, the same colleague was feeling bad about his suggestion. Nawaz Sharif came and patted him on his back and smiled. That’s how he is in his attitude.

During the following months, BB concentrated on doing politics via the corridors of influential political powers of United States, and NS focused on politically empty streets of Pakistan. In one of the brainstorming meetings it was put to him to hire a firm in US as BB had. He strongly opposed it saying ‘we don’t need foreign hands to strengthen us in our struggle for democracy’. With that policy in mind, he landed up in Pakistan twice and was sent back to Saudi Arabia with humiliation the first time. On other hand, in an arranged return, Benazir was welcomed like a queen. After BB’s assassination, NS was the first to visit the hospital. In the following weeks, against a turmoil created by her murder, he made considerable political impact shown by the election results. His success in elections was based on understanding public feelings vis-à-vis two issues; restoration of judges; and removal of Musharaf.