Sharifs’ Doctrine

Although Barrister Aitzaz Ahsan, while participating in political talk shows on all leading television networks, has many a time explained the salient features of Sharifs’ Doctrine.

I, however, witnessed its practical implementation on Shehbaz Sharif’s becoming the prime minister and taking an unprecedented mass shuffling of his tried and tested government officials to the key positions in the federal government and the government of Punjab. Next, Shehbaz Sharif hurriedly promoted eighteen grade 21 officers from various CSS groups to grade 22. This is how you ingress your influence in the bureaucracy and win their unconditional compliance in running the conked out administrative machinery. Imran Khan did not have this streak of quid pro quo in his temperament and demanded allegiance to his unbending writ and therefore did not capitalise on this expedient initiative during his tumultuous tenure. I am not sure but he may also be bearing in his mind the pernicious impact of these promotions on the national exchequer which was in dire straits. The second and less justifiable expenditure being incurred by Shehbaz Sharif is the release of paid content ads worth billions of rupees on a number of pro-government television networks applauding PML-N past achievements.

I would have probably ignored these political shenanigans if the Sharifs had not claimed the major credit of atomic explosions of 28 May 1998 (named Youme Takbeer later) in the costly television ads in a manner that even ZA Bhutto would be smiling wryly somewhere up there. It is on record that Nawaz Sharif was rather pushed by the Establishment to respond by a tit for tat atomic explosions when India went ahead with Pokhran-ll detonations on 7 and 8 May 1998 slightly ahead of Pakistan. Nawaz Sharif mustered the courage to inform President Bill Clinton over the phone of Pakistan’s decision of going ahead with the tests due to an existential threat from India. It is also not factually correct that Clinton offered some six billion dollars straight away over the phone to Nawaz Sharif if he were to change the decision by not responding to Indian nuclear tests. So to say as if Nawaz Sharif had other options available except for acting on the Establishment’s advice which I am sure even Clinton was fully aware of. Moreover, it is asserted that Nawaz Sharif declined the huge amount of six billion dollars which, an impression is always created, was being offered as a largesse to NS. But I am sure everyone knows that this is nothing more than a political rhetoric.

Sharifs are good businessmen and should therefore utilise their forte in stabilising the economy. Particularly the unrealistic and interminable devaluation of our currency against the dollar. The list of the banned import items should not be identified by the FBR who have a conflict of interest. It should be prepared and analysed by a committee of experts from a broader and holistic approach. As a student of economics, I feel that even today the parity of our rupee against the dollar is somewhere between Rs175 to Rs180. We cannot afford to keep our currency on a free floating exchange rate. Some overarching mechanism is essentially imperative to stop the periodical satta bazi for rent seeking in our lifeline foreign exchange market. Pakistan should also improve its balance of trade with China which has a crippling effect on our economy. Initiatives must be taken to trade in regional currencies in order to gradually decrease our dependence on the dollars. Knocking every now and then on the IMF door must be methodically terminated once for all if we really wish to become an independent nation. Otherwise I am afraid this verse from Ghalib is not far from reality.

Rag o pai mai jab utray zahray gham tab dekhyai kya ho,

Abhi to talkhi e kam o dahan ki azmaish hai