Poker face?: Nawaz unruffled
In retaliation to the president’s continued tirades against him, Nawaz Sharif played it cool on Friday – and refused to take the bait.
The chief of the principal opposition party, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), seemed to take the moral high road in his brief interaction with the media in Peshawar, saying: “I am not commenting on the ‘taking away shine’ [comment by the president]”. About being called a ‘refugee’ by the president, he said that such statements will further polarise nation and should be avoided.
The most surprising statement by President Asif Ali Zardari on Thursday, regarding the number of people present for the funeral of Nawaz’s father, was met by an equally surprising response by the PML-N chief.
He recalled that, when the president’s father was ill in London, he had gone to enquire about his health - and added that he still prays for his salvation.
Nawaz did say that the incumbent government’s performance was ‘below zero’.
Another party of the opposition, the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam–Fazal (JUI-F), however, was more vocal in its response.
Maulana Fazlur Rehman said that the president had politically lowered himself by issuing derogatory statements regarding the funeral of Sharif’s father.
He advised the PML-N not to respond to the remarks, and said that it now appeared that the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP)’s politics was not that of reconciliation.
Punjab law minister
While Nawaz remained silent, the PML-N’s other senior leaders responded in kind to the president. Punjab Law Minister Rana Sanaullah said that the statements of President Zardari are a proof of his ‘mental bankruptcy’. He added that one can hardly believe that the head of a state can use such words in a speech. He said that President Zardari owes his ‘shine’ to the looted wealth.
In a statement, Rana Sanaullah said that President Zardari can visit Punjab to his heart’s content but the people of this province will show him his true level of popularity here.
Published in The Express Tribune, April 7th, 2012.
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Nawaz sharif has incredibly strong nerves, he never gets carried away with the circumstances, always acts according to the personality he has developed over the decades, he is the most consistent person in terms of behavior that I have observed in Pakistan´s political sphere in my entire life. Almost everyone has tried to provoke him like MQM, Musharraf, PMLQ, and off course Imran khan but Nawaz sharif never loses his nerves and always takes an apporach that suits his personality and ethics, that is why many in punjab see him as a fatherly figure because that is what punjabi muslim culture is all about.
great mian sahib you have once again proven that you are the only politician who has learned from the past I salute your dignified stance
I think Mr. President only gave back what these brothers deserved. Hanging, pulling on the roads etc etc etc were the words which these Stooges of our country used against the democratically elected person. The President only showed them the mirror which they are not accustomed to see on daily basis..
what about shabaz sharif comments about hanging zardari upside down and dragging him through the streets? i guess to pml-n those comments are acceptable?
we r proud of Sharifs ..
great mian sahab .. u have character :)
Zardari has concluded that Tsunami has failed to make any dent in PML(N), therefore he is playing his last card but he won't succeed. Furture belongs to PML(N).
good to see Nawaz finally refraining from Personal attack - it wasnt long when he used auch tactcics against Imran Khan and his wife - what goes around comes around
As for Fazlur Rehmans requestimg Nawaz not to get into personal attacks speaks volume about his 'munafiqat' !