Mustafa Nawaz Khohkar, who served as a Pakistan Peoples Party senator from March 12, 2018, to November 10, 2022, was once a spokesperson for the party chairman, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari. Khokhar resigned as spokesperson in December 2020 but remained with the PPP until December 2022. It was then reported that while serving on the Senate committee on human rights he had developed differences with the party leadership over compromises made on matters like civil liberties and the constitutional amendments.

This year he launched a platform called Reimagining Pakistan with some like-minded politicians including former premier Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and former finance minister Miftah Ismail. RP arranged a series of seminars and talks to initiate conversation regarding pressing economic and governance issues faced by the country.

In an exclusive interview with The News on Sunday Khokhar discussed the current political situation, the expected election date, the future of major political parties and the hopes for a free and fair election as well as his plans. Excerpts:

he News on Sunday: There is a buzz that you and some likeminded colleagues are set to launch a new party. Is that true? If not, which party will you contest the next general elections from?

Mustafa Nawaz Khohkar: When I left the Pakistan Peoples Party in December last year, I planned to contest the next election as an independent candidate. However, the political landscape has changed a lot since then. Let’s see how our strategy evolves. We are currently holding deliberations and meetings on whether to launch a new party. A decision will likely be reached soon.

TNS: The Election Commission of Pakistan has announced that the general elections will be held in the last week of January. What do you think?

MNK: I believe that given the incumbency of Chief Justice of Pakistan Qazi Faez Isa and deadline set by the International Monetary Fund for us to fix our political uncertainties, it won’t be possible to delay the elections for too long. I expect the elections to be held in February or March. What matters is that that the elections are free and fair and the results are acceptable to all stakeholders. Under the current circumstances, free and fair elections appear to be a distant dream.

TNS: What do you think of the caretaker governments’ performance?

MNK: Ideally, the role and mandate of the caretakers is to manage the day-to-day affairs of the country in the absence of elected governments. But I think one must give credit where it is due. The caretaker government and the relevant state institutions have managed to curtail smuggling and the currency has appreciated against the US dollar. The price of petroleum products have also come down. Of course, the pivotal task for them is to ensure a smooth transfer of power to elected representatives following free and fair elections.

TNS: Do you think Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz) will be able to regain the lost ground after Nawaz Sharif’s return?

When a party stops doing politics of the masses and fails to connect with people, it loses ground.

MNK: I believe that the former premier is not aware of the situation on the ground. Because of the poor performance of Shahbaz Sharif-led Pakistan Democratic Movement government it won’t be easy for the PML-N to regain its lost support.

In recent political gatherings in Lahore, which was once considered the safest place for the PML-N, they failed to attract the masses. It seems unlikely that the PML-N will be able to recover the political capital lost during the last 16 months or so.

TNS: Who do you think will be the political heir of Nawaz Sharif? Maryam Nawaz, Shahbaz Sharif or Hamza Shehbaz?

MNK: This will, of course, be decided by the people and the PML-N leadership. A senior leader of the party has recently said that they don’t consider Shahbaz Sharif or Maryam Nawaz their leader. The sentiment in the party is quite clear. People are not buying the dynastic politics argument any longer. Generally speaking, dynastic politics is not very popular amongst the masses today.

TNS: What is the future of the Istehkam-i-Pakistan Party (IPP)? Do you think they will be able to secure a large number of seats in the next general elections?

MNK: Well, it seems that the IPP is a popular parking spot for PTI leaders and turncoats. A large number of PTI leaders have joined them. However, they do not appear to have mass support.

TNS: The Pakistan Peoples Party has been wiped out from the Punjab. Why? And what do you think they could do to make a comeback?

MNK: You are right. The PPP has been wiped out in the Punjab. It was nowhere to be seen in the Punjab in the 2013 and 2018 elections.

When a party stops doing the politics of the masses and fails to connect with the people, it loses ground. The PPP was an anti-establishment party, but its choices over the last few years have put a question mark on it policy. They have also failed to show any achievements in Sindh.

TNS: Are you in touch with Bilawal Bhutto Zardari? Have you spoken to him about any of this?

MNK: We have not been in contact since I left the PPP, but I always wish him the best. Time is on his side. He has a long way to go. If he manages to change the popular perception of his party and takes some good steps he may be able to strengthen the party.

TNS: The Supreme Court of Pakistan has dismissed the petitions against the Practice and Procedure Act. However, according to the verdict, the right to appeal will not be available in past and closed cases. This has raised serious questions about whether former premier Nawaz Sharif and IPP chairman Jahangir Tareen can run for public office. How do you see this?

MNK: The former premier was convicted. He will have to face the cases on his return. Jahangir Tareen has also been disqualified. We have to wait and see how this matter is decided in the courts.

The writer is a journalist based in Lahore. He reports on politics, economy and militancy. He can be reached on X at @Hassannaqvi5