Can Nawaz steer country out of political impasse?

ISLAMABAD:

As political tensions continue to simmer, there is once again talk of a grand dialogue among all the stakeholders. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday reiterated the government's call for talks but the jailed Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader rebuffed his latest outreach.

Despite the seeming stalemate, there are people in both the camps who want to see a reconciliation or at least opening of a channel of communication between the two sides, something that may bring down soaring political temperature.

Some politicians within the ruling Pakistan Muslim League (PML-N) and among the opposition ranks have floated the idea of Nawaz Sharif, the three-time former prime minister, to spearhead those efforts.

Veteran PML-N leader Khawaja Saad Rafique recently urged the party supremo to step forward and play a role. Mehmood Khan Achakzai, the head of the opposition alliance, made a similar appeal. But the question remains: will Nawaz Sharif, who maintains a low profile, play such a role, or is he even incline to take the lead in a grand reconciliation?

One of the close aides of the former prime minister brushed aside the suggestion. Speaking to The Express Tribune, Senator Pervaiz Rashid said that Nawaz Sharif had already played his role.

He stated that the elder Sharif drafted the Charter of Democracy and had consistently fulfilled his democratic responsibilities. After the 2013 elections, he allowed the PTI to form a government in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, even though he could have formed a government there with the ANP and other parties, according to the senator. The JUI-F had also asked him to form the government, but he chose not to do so and instead gave democracy a chance.

He added that governments in Gilgit-Baltistan completed their five-year terms, and everyone else completed five years, except Nawaz Sharif. And why did he not complete his term? According to Rashid, it was because of Imran Khan. Yet, he said, Imran Khan never apologised for this.

In 2013, the treatment meted out to Nawaz Sharif, when his wife was on her deathbed, his children were put in jail, and excesses were committed against his family, was never apologised for. Despite everything, Nawaz Sharif never retaliated and bore it all for the sake of democracy.

Rashid further said that when Imran Khan was part of parliament, he did not attend cabinet meetings and that his conduct was poor. Therefore, he argued, the question should not be directed at Nawaz Sharif as to why he did not play his role; rather, Imran Khan should be asked whether he truly wants democracy.

Responding to Imran Khan's call for protest politics, Senator Rashid said that the PTI has already destabilised Pakistan to a great extent. He added that no matter how much the party tries now, it no longer has the capacity to cause further damage. "In fact," he said, "the more they try, the more it will backfire on them."

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Information Secretary Sheikh Waqas Akram was of the view that this Sharif was not the same who once confronted the establishment.

Although he remains a leader, his primary focus now appears to be safeguarding his daughter's political career, her next term, and whether she will form a government in the province or at the Centre, the PTI chief spokesperson told The Express Tribune.

He insisted that Maryam Nawaz sees her political future only through Form 47.

He added that Imran had categorically stated that he will not negotiate with the current setup. The only time he formed a negotiating committee was after 26th November, but the process did not move forward because the government failed to issue a notification addressing PTI's demands.

Dismissing the perception that the party is divided, Akram said there is no internal turmoil within the PTI. He stated that Imran Khan has delegated authority to Allama Raja Nasir Abbas and Mehmood Achakzai, and if anyone approaches for dialogue, they will handle it. He further added that the PTI is a major stakeholder in TTAP, and if and when the TTAP decides to move forward with a dialogue, it will have to consult the PTI and seek its opinion.

Responding to a question on whether protests are the only way forward for the PTI, Akram said there is no respect for court decisions, no fear of the Supreme Court, and no value left for parliament. He said all avenues have been closed on the PTI, and under the circumstances, the party sees no option other than to protest and initiate a street movement, as it does not trust the current setup.

On Tuesday, the PTI rejected Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif's offer for a dialogue, calling it a deceptive tactic intended to mislead the masses amid a deepening political impasse.