The disqualified Prime Minister had made the democracy a ridiculous joke. He constantly talk of people’s mandate but in the same breath speaks contemptuously about the judiciary and rule of law which is sine qua none of true democracy. He deliberately shows disrespect for this most important fundamental of democratic system. Democracy does not mean merely elections on adult franchise.
Addressing a public meeting at Abottabad Nawaz Sharif said,” You made me a Prime Minister, and some four people have disqualified me” “Tell me is that verdict acceptable to you”, he asked the crowd. “I have come to you to file a review petition because you some 200 million people of Pakistan are protesting Nawaz Sharif’s disqualification” he told. “Nawaz Sharif was not involved in any corruption or misappropriation. The court cannot proved even a single penny of corruption on me but they disqualified me for not taking a salary from my son”, he added.
The former Prime Minister also dwelt at length on his so called and artificial agenda of socio-economic uplift. Nawaz sharif said that during his premiership he was doing politics of development, peace and prosperity. He said that the persons who are saying minus Nawaz Sharif should know that Nawaz Sharif is not just a personality; he is a name of idea.
The Panama case hearing lasted for several months and the legal team of the disqualified prime Minster was repeatedly asked by the honorable Judges of the Supreme Court to produce just a single peace of proof corroborating his claim that he has acquired the offshore assets through legal means but no such paper or document was submitted in the court. In the western democracies political leaders quit power and resign just on the publication of single news story in a newspaper. The Berlin Wall was dismantled and East Germany was unified with its western part in the era Chancellor Helmet Kohl but this great hero of Germany’s unification resigned merely on slight discrepancy in the party funds which was perhaps an accounting error or inadvertent oversight. He did not show obduracy and gracefully retired from politics.
The people are fully aware that Iqama serves as conduit for money laundering. The former Prime Minister has been indicted in three references of corruption charges and he should face the trial, bring solid proof and evidence to prove his innocence. He had remained three times prime Minister and the people expect decency and respect for the Judiciary from him. The headlong collisions with the state institution for personal interest will create disorder and chaos in the country.
The tall claim of socio-economical uplift is not compatible with the ground realities. During the second tenure of Nawaz Sharif government, the country reached the verge of default on foreign and domestic loans just in two years. When the business community openly expressed apprehensions about the country’s extremely bad economic situation, Finance Minister Ishaq Dar made a statement that engineered default is not acceptable. At the time of ouster of Nawaz Sharif from power in October 1999, foreign exchange reserves were at critical level of $ 300 million which were hardly enough for 15 days imports.
The PML-N government has acquired foreign loans of $ 40 billion in four years raising the volume of foreign debt to $ 90 billion and it may go up to $ 100 billion at the end of current financial year. The total amount of domestic debt is Rs 20000 billion. The World Bank in its recent report” South Asia Focus” has painted a very grim picture of Pakistan’s economy. The report says that Pakistan would need $ 31 billion to pay its external obligations alone what to speak of domestic debt servicing. Half of the textile industry is closed rendering thousands of workers jobless. The industries of sports goods, surgical goods and light engineering products are in the state of acute stagnation and federal government is not responding to their SOS calls. The pro rich policy of present government has made the living condition of common man more miserable and now 40 percent of country’s population had to live below the poverty line. About 30 percent is confronted with food insecurity. Is this the agenda of socio-economic development and prosperity of the people? Concentration of political power and state resources in the hands of feudal and mercantile classes is not democracy. One should abide by the rule of law and pay respect to the Judiciary if he claims to be a democrat.
