ISLAMABAD : Nov 14,2022: Defence minister , Khawaja Asif , has kept the ball rolling by making a disclosure that Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PMLN) supremo and self-exiled former prime minister Nawaz Sharif , is coming back to Pakistan in 2022.
Talking to the media here on Monday, Khawaja Asif , confidently said “Mian Nawaz Sharif will be back in Pakistan in 2022”.
Khawaja Asif ‘s disclosure is of extraordinary significance for political system of Pakistan and even more significant for his party –PMLN.
PMLN had more popularity level than any other political party including Pakistan Tehreek -e- Insaf (PTI) of ousted prime minister , Imran Khan, as long as Mian Nawaz Sharif was its chief.
PMLN was a first choice of electables of Pakistan and vast majority of them always wanted to get PMLN ticket to contest elections when Nawaz Sharif was on the helm of party affairs . Even his going abroad in 2019 for treatment and staying in UK indefinitely did not dent PMLN and Maryam Nawaz managed to run the party in line with her father’s advice.
PMLN popularity was at its best in PTI rule and a big chunk of electables who were elected on PTI tickets in 2018 elections and later disqualified by the court for changing loyalty to their party confirmed PMLN popularity was its clear indication. Those who switched from PTI to form a group within the party had sought a verbal commitment from Maryam Nawaz who was then holding PMLN fort of awarding PMLN tickets in next elections.
In one of public speeches , Maryam Nawaz had publically declared while referring to some PTI parliamentarians distancing from their party that it was PMLN ticket which allured PTI parliamentarians to show interest in getting close to PMLN.
This clearly showed downfall of PTI in Imran Khan’s rule and the rise of PMLN as those who parted ways with PTI did not see any future of PTI and its top leader –Imran Khan even in their rule.
PMLN’s bad days started with becoming of Shahbaz Sharif prime minister of Pakistan. PMLN , which had remained intact in hard times and resisted pressure from powerful quarters, started to lose its popularity when Shahbaz Sharif took over the government in the center and his son , Hamza Shahbaz , got portfolio of chief minister of Punjab. The duo enjoyed the rule and it would be like a burning desire for farher and son but the decisions taken during their times in the name of saving the country from default broke backbone of the people of Pakistan. As Finance minister ,Miftah Ismael, kept on raising the prices of fuel and electricity on almost weekly basis at an alarming level without considering its impact on the people’s lives and subsequently their response to the PMLN. By the time , Miftah Ismael was asked by Nawaz Sharif to resign , his decisions had turned PMLN into a symbol of hate among public. Miftah’s strategy of keep on adding burden on the public through time and again upward revisions in oil and electricity rates damaged PMLN more than anything.
Miftah’s policy of saving the country through increased prices of electricity and oil made the people lives miserable and they started to believe that PMLN was responsible of their painful lives.
Shahbaz Sharif’s elevation as prime minister left many top PMLN leaders annoyed . In just 7 months rule, Shahbaz Sharif has proven himself as a shallow man who uses useless tricks to show his performance . He failed to make a good team to face harsh criticism of Imran Khan. His government also failed on other key fronts like economy and foreign policy .
Its PMLN which is out in the open to face backlash of Shahbaz Sharif’s failure . On the other hand, Hamza Sharif too proved too small to handle the biggest province of Punjab. PMLN lost all by elections in Punjab when Hamza Shahbaz was the chief minister.
Today PMLN stands as a failed party in public. No one even recalls in Pakistan that other PDM parties are also responsible of their problems particularly price hike and inflation .
Other parties of PDM are just part of the Shahbaz government to enjoy benefits and foreign tours.
In this situation , many PMLN senior leaders hope only Nawaz Sharif ‘s return to Pakistan can mobilise the people to regain PMLN public popularity before next general elections .
Khawaja Asif ‘s announcement about Nawaz Sharif’s return is a ray of hope for many PMLN leaders. There is no doubt that Nawaz Sharif’s return can give PMLN a big boost to perform better in next elections.