NA still under Nawaz’s imprint: View from the Gallery

ISLAMABAD: His detractors would hate to admit, but former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s political imprint was all over the National Assembly as it elected a new Sharif loyalist as prime minister on Tuesday. 

Everyone knew elevation of Shahid Khaqan Abbasi was a stopgap arrangement till Shahbaz Sharif takes over in September. But PML-N and allies wanted to rejoice the occasion to the fullest after having been pushed to a tight defensive position since Panama Leaks eruption back in April-May, 2016. Interesting, isn’t it? Legally, the elder Sharif has been shown the exit door from the Parliament, but in reality he wields real and decisive power in the new party government, or any arrangement under the near future Shahbaz Sharif set up. 

That wouldn’t diminish Sharif’s heir apparent Maryam Nawaz’s chances of bouncing back in pre and post 2018 scenario even with NAB references haunting the whole family. So lucky is this guy (elder Sharif) politically that Opposition had to gather a storm to oust him from the top slot. And here we are Sharif bouncing back politically in the wake overwhelming sentiment amongst  his supporters even when the influential amongst them know fully well his return to power anytime soon is not even a bleak possibility. 

The legal course at hand offers almost little or no space for him. Especially when the ouster has been sealed legally. But as they say “ the worldly power is ultimately in the hands of the divine”. It stood true for Sharif in late 2007. Then, he bounced back after 8 years long exile which seemed so good to be true. At the time of his ouster from power, he had lost everything – government, party, personal business. 

The situation at hand is not that grim despite coming under heavy moral and political pressure due to Panama Papers fall out. Within days of his ouster on somewhat weak legal grounds, his party, legislators, ministers realize that they need him for a 2018 elections win, more than he needs them to retain the leadership. And in the words of Premier elect Shahid Khaqan Abbasi: “Nawaz Sharif is the real premier….masses’ premier” 

This is an overwhelming sentiment and ground reality of the day – no artificial power or political maneuvering can erase or do away with it. And it amply reflected in the Parliament on Tuesday. Sentimental scenes of Sharif’s popular base and his political imprint were all over. Loud slogans by League’s back benchers chanting “Wazir e Azam Nawaz Sharif” was no music to the ears of opposition benches. 

The scenes of the treasury benches laden with high emotions overwhelmed everyone. Sheikh Rashid’s rhetoric, Shah Mahmood Qureshi’s oratory, and Khurshid Shah’s artificial emotionalism was eclipsed by treasury’s emotional overflow, outbursts. Imran Khan was not there to witness the scenes. He also didn’t turn up to vote for his Premiership candidate Sheikh Rashid whose fame to glory was short lived and diluted badly by PPP, JI or even Aftab Sherpao’s QWP looking the other way. 

Only PML-Q’s Chaudhrys were generous enough with 2-3 votes. A darling of some rating hungry anchors and media outlets with vested interests, Rashid naturally felt he should have been given a better deal by rest of the Opposition. But political circumstances didn’t let luck smile on him in becoming a consensus opposition candidate for premiership. But as the situation stands today, an ousted Sharif haunted Rashid and PTI in the confines of the Parliament more than they expected. 

The scenes in the larger political arena wouldn’t be different. A vocal and assertive section led by PTI and Imran Khan naturally would hate to admit it for they enjoy their own urban support base that rules social media, Facebook and Twitter more. 

They also throng in thousands for public meetings, ‘secure’ agitational moots. But the last November lockdown strategy exposed them fully, unprepared. Not cut out for the real agitational endeavour in the wake of brute and overwhelming government tactics. The time and investment they made in “Panama case” under the supervision and guidance of their “disciplined backers” has not yielded that much result compared to what they hoped. 

Those supporting Nawaz Sharif have been rejuvinated within days of his ouster even knowing that his disqualification could not be revoked in near future – especially when it is probably for life in legal terms. With legislators and party firmly and surprisingly intact in the event of Sharif’s disqualification by the apex court last Friday, the PML-N and its voters and support base seem to have been rejuvenated as an after effect. The “Iqama” (visa) and the non drawn salary from FZE company by a (ceremonial chairman) Sharif and the resultant disqualification under the “Sadiq and Amin” law has not been hailed and approved by masses – PML-N, allies and affiliates at large. As witnessed on Tuesday, as soon as Speaker Ayaz Sadiq joyfully announced election of Shahid Khaqan Abbasi as premier elect, slogans of “Prime Minister Nawaz Sahrif” were all over the place. Some back benchers had even brought posters of former premier, they placed on the Leader of the House chair before Mr Abbasi was requested by the Speaker to take the head chair. 

Opposition seemed more disjointed and polarised as soon as former Premier was forced to side step. With their main target gone, all of them hastened to collect the “booty” that was never there for them. 

So even symbolically, they were in disarray in post Panama days as none of them had chalked out a potent political strategy. PPP and PTI divide was understandable on the heels of Imran Khan’s diatribe against Zardari sahib just this Sunday. Khan got carried away by his “Panama victory”. Everyone in the PTI took the NA’s Premier election too easy. 

Resultant was three opposition candidates trounced by PML-N and allies. Interestingly, even Jamaat e Islami didn’t support the PTI and fielded its own candidate. And so did Aftab Sherpao whose party has tasted the bitter pill for twice being thrown out of the provincial coalition by the PTI KPK government. Everyone knew well the outcome, but the ruling party secured a political ally from Sindh in the shape of MQM Pakistan. 

Governor Sindh Zubair Umar delivered them something good through his back channel diplomacy. As the situation stands, with no opposition party ready to play ball with PTI on early elections issue, the ouster of Aftab Sherpao’s QWP seems an effort by the PTI inner core to orchestrate an artificial political storm so that they are able to dissolve the KP assembly when required to force an early nationwide elections by end of 2017. Let’s see who dares to buy this new PTI strategy.