News Analysis |
During his arrival at the accountability court, Nawaz launched a tirade against PPP chairman Asif Ali Zardari calling him a pawn of some other power. Former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif said on Friday that Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leader Asif Ali Zardari is talking against him “to please someone”. This seems to be a sure indicator of cold ties between the two signatories of the Charter of Democracy.
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The accountability court on Friday has adjourned the hearing of National Accountability Bureau (NAB) references against ex-prime minister Nawaz Sharif and his family till Tuesday without any proceeding. Nawaz Sharif with his daughter Maryam Nawaz and son-in-law Captain (r) Safdar left for Punjab House after a one-hour appearance in the court. They also submitted two bonds worth Rs. 5 million each.
Nawaz’s claims come in the backdrop of Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif confession that he tried in vain to establish contact with Zardari recently. “But, Zardari didn’t answer any of my calls,”. Nawaz also turned his guns towards the Supreme Court. He claimed that he is being punished for eradicating terrorism and load shedding from the country.
During the Panama crisis, many observers cite the PPP attempts to not let the Panama scandal reach the judiciary as a form of help for the PML(N).
Nawaz’s open attack seems to be the most significant feature of his talk to the media. This is the first such open attack on Asif Ali Zardari by the PML(N) chief who usually reserved his ire for his nemesis Imran Khan. The PML(N) chief usually refrains from sledding at the PPP, delegating it to his cohorts in the PML(N).
However, the attack on Zardari comes at a time when Nawaz’s entire career is on the line. Already disqualified from his third term, Nawaz and his immediate kin are facing political annihilation in the courts. At this time, the PPP seems to be on the warpath engaging against the PML(N) all over the country.
Nawaz’s claims come in the backdrop of Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif confession that he tried in vain to establish contact with Zardari recently. “But, Zardari didn’t answer any of my calls,
This is in sharp contrast to the PPP-PML(N) behavior after the end of Pervez Musharraf’s government in 2008. At that time, guided by the Charter of Democracy, the PPP-PML(N) fought a combined election against the PML(Q) and formed a combined government for a short time. It was near the 2013 elections that daggers were drawn between the two and an all-out verbal war began.
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However, after the 2013 victory of the PML(N), there were to be many times when the PPP and PML(N) came together. The convergence usually began during the times of crisis especially during PTI Dharna. During such times, the myth of PML(N)-PPP enmity would be blown away by high-level meetings and family dinners.
The convergence usually began during the times of crisis when the relentless foe the PTI would have put the government in extreme pressure such as the 2014 election rigging protests and 2017 Panama crisis.
Even during the Panama crisis, many observers cite PPP’s attempts to not let the Panama scandal reach the judiciary as a form of help for the PML(N). However, the PPP failed and Nawaz faced the consequences.