KARACHI: Nawaz Sharif has made significant overtures to Imran Khan. Let us bury the hatchet and work together to build a strong Pakistan, he says. He accepts Imran Khan as the genuine opposition leader even though the PPP may have a larger number of seats. Let there be no mistake, Nawaz Sharif needs Imran Khan to validate his governance. Imran Khan needs Nawaz Sharif to be able to operate unhindered in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P). Five years down the line, with his record of governance in K-P, Imran Khan will be ready to contest and claim national leadership.
Of such compromises are historical opportunities created and the truthful and the upright rise from the ashes of defeat to claim a new Pakistan.
Nawaz Sharif has made bettering relations with India one of his top priorities, which can ultimately lead to saving billions of rupees that the two countries spend on defence. This seems to be the centrepiece of his vision for Pakistan. On this issue, there can be no two opinions that this is desirable. Trade with India and cooperation on economic issues will change the destiny of both countries. I wonder if Nawaz Sharif can bring to this issue of reconciliation, the kind of passion, wisdom and foresight that Mahatma Gandhi had. He went on a fast unto death in Calcutta to protect the Muslims there, who would have been victims of a bloodbath in the aftermath of Partition. He said, “I will die if the people of India and the Muslims do not make peace; I will only break my fast if the leaders of the two communities come to me and say we have buried hatred and will work for a peaceful India.” Can Nawaz Sharif do this? If he can, his place in history will be safe forever.
Iqbal Ismail
Published in The Express Tribune, May 17th, 2013.
