News Desk |
Pakistan Tehrek-e-Insaf Chairman Imran Khan and Punjab Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif exchanged the verbal blows on Sunday, vowing to end the political careers of each other, in the upcoming 2018 general elections. Both the leaders have sent messages to thrash rivals in the upcoming elections and also promised to make Pakistan great as envisioned by Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah.
PTI Chief has claimed that he will bring forth the corruption of Shehbaz in the accountability court. Imran Khan predicts that an embarrassed “Shehbaz won’t be able to even find a job anywhere.”
Countering Khan’s narrative, Shehbaz vowed to end the political career of Imran in the next elections. Lamenting Khan’s politics of agitation, Sharif said, “Khan politics only consists of hurling abuses, leveling accusations, sit-ins, and lock-downs.”
The political challenges gave the extreme position of Nawaz against judiciary and establishment, the old-day proximity between PML-N and military has evaporated, Shehbaz is making a last-ditch effort to assure the public, that nothing is lost.
Repeating his views on the Islamabad Dharnas, Shehbaz said, it was nothing but a conspiracy against the country. He argued that the Chinese President, Xi had to cancel an important tour to Pakistan in which a memorandum of understanding (MOU) was to be signed. But, khan delayed the road to prosperity by engaging in anti-Pakistan protest.
While speaking to the participants of the rally in Kamalia, Shehbaz look determined to bury PTI’s politics of accusation in coming elections. Khan ridiculed Shehbaz for all of the sudden expressing love for judiciary. “Your tricks will not work this time,” Khan asserted.
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Imran Khan strongly criticized the vain efforts of Shahbaz to appease the Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa. After returning from London, Pakistan Muslim League- Nawaz (PML-N) president attempted to extend an olive branch towards the military establishment and stressed that military should work along with the civilian administration against the challenges facing the country.
The PTI chief was on a tour in Rawalpindi for the PTI membership campaign. Since, the start of March, Khan has been visiting small towns and cities across the country, particularly in Punjab, to increase the participation in the party’s ongoing membership campaign.
PTI Chief has claimed that he will bring forth the corruption of Shehbaz in the accountability court. Imran Khan predicts that an embarrassed “Shehbaz won’t be able to even find a job anywhere.”
Khan has been inviting the participants to become the members of PTI, so to uproot the swine of corruption from Pakistan. He has visited several membership camps across the city organized by the lower tier leadership of the area. He has addressed the party workers at Saddar, Pir Wadhai, and Commercial Market.
Imran termed Shehbaz Sharif, the biggest drama of Pakistan politics, and strongly criticized his model of development in Punjab, comparing him to a mafia which although, ruled the province for decades but failed miserably to provide the rudimentary requirement to people. He hoped that the corrupt mafia will be defeated.
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Will NAB Investigations be an end of the Road for Shehbaz?
Apparently, Khan is relying on National Accountability Bureau (NAB) to disclose the corruption of Shehbaz in mega projects, where he received huge kickbacks. Khan believes that the NAB investigation will reveal that the Punjab CM is more corrupt than the ousted Nawaz Sharif and Pakistan Peoples Party’s chairman Asif Ali Zardari.
It is not surprising that the younger Sharif has decided to praise COAS right at the brink of 2018 elections, when PML-N has less than two months left in the office.
Having seen many of its legislators switching sides, PML-N is aware that the tide is not in its favor; the expected unfavorable decision in the accountability court, Ahad Cheema’s arrest, and a possible breakthrough into an investigation on Fawad Hassan. Fawad may establish a connection between Shehbaz and the high-level bureaucrats.
There could be anomalies between his initial investigations, submitted response and facts established after the capture of Cheema with other officials. His arrest can be a big blow to the house of Sharif and can be an apparent testimony to his alleged involvement in corruption.
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Imran trying to Break Sharif’s Narrative
The political challenges gave the extreme position of Nawaz against judiciary and establishment, the old-day proximity between PML-N and military has evaporated, Shehbaz is making a last-ditch effort to assure the public, that nothing is lost. He is ensuring the public that PML-N and military establishment will work together to counter challenges facing the country.
Imran termed Shehbaz Sharif, the biggest drama of Pakistan politics, and strongly criticized his model of development in Punjab, comparing him to a mafia which although, ruled the province for decades but failed miserably to provide the rudimentary requirement to people.
Imran is trying to break the narrative built by Shehbaz to gain momentum in Punjab citing the backing of the powerful military establishment, which is although erroneous but if media engineering works, it can sell and could result in some dividend for the beleaguered Sharif’s. But, Imran is aware of this possibility. His rhetoric is aimed to damage Shehbaz’s efforts and outsmart Maryam’s campaign that is built on the conspiracy hatched against them based on fake cases in accountability court.
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Imran is attending dozens of rallies in a day across Pakistan to counter PML-N’s relentless and successful campaign against Nawaz’s double-ousting. He is now switching his focus from Nawaz to Shehbaz. But, he must be careful in its counter attack. Because people seem to be tired of politics of accusation.
Even, PTI’s staunchest of supporters argue to sell PTI’s performance rather than merely blaming Nawaz for all the ills. Membership campaign and engaging the local and lower tier leadership is a step in a right direction for PTI. PTI needs a renaissance before, it’s too late to control damage inflicted by Maryam’s playful tactics through successful improvisation of victimhood.