Totalitarian politics in Pakistan

The former premier and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Shehbaz Sharif asserted that if PML-N voted to power, the party Chief Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif would become the Prime Minister of Pakistan and the PML-N supremo would make history by grabbing the top most position for fourth time.

The PML-N founding father and three-time Prime Minister is currently self-exiled after the top court approved his bail and authorised his London trip on medical grounds considering his deteriorating health conditions date back to 2021.

Unfortunately, the PML-N supremo extended his four weeks of sick leave to an unlimited period for fear of mistreatment and biased prosecution at the hands of the PTI leadership, who neither displayed statesmanship with his adversary nor dealt with opposition on legal and parliamentary grounds.

However, the sloganeering of thieves and corrupts had been resounding in public rallies and media until the anti-graft watchdog filed petitions against Mr Khan on charges of corruption and disloyalty.

Interestingly, Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif did not dare to return to the country during the one-and-a-half rule of his party after the ouster of his staunch rival from Prime Ministership.

Initially, the PML-N could not implement the return plan of its leader due to fear of a backlash from PTI governments in Punjab and KP, later the resolute opposition from the former Chief Justice sabotaged the PML-N plans who batted up to the last ball and invoked several important legislations. In fact, the annulment of NAB amendment Bill-2023, not only reopened the corruption cases of dozens of people including former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, Yousaf Raza Gillani and President Asif Ali Zardari putting them all together in one rank and file.

Realistically, Pakistani politics could never come out from old age stagnant political philosophies, feudalism and family politics. The civic business was enslaved to a few clans as PPP was the heirloom of Bhuttos, PML-N was a guardian of Sharif”s politics, the ANP was the property of the Wali Khan family while the court’s decision confirmed Shujat’s ownership of PML-Q. Although it has not been decided yet, the PTI would be surely possession of the Niazi family, now or whenever Mr Khan quits national politics.

Hence, each leader enjoyed rule multiple times, offshoots after parents used to grab top slots of the parties as well as the government while seasoned politicians were compelled to play the role of Darbaries/courtiers. How one can expect any political progress or revolution in such dictatoral politics until and unless leaders adopt real democracy in their groups and politicians announce a rebellion?