With less than a week remaining until PML-N supreme leader Nawaz Sharif’s return from his self-imposed four-year exile, senior PPP leaders have begun to question the supposed ‘understanding’ they believe he has made with relevant authorities to facilitate his ‘hassle-free’ return.
Following National Assembly Speaker Raja Pervaiz Ashraf’s reference to an “understanding between the Sharifs and the quarters concerned” regarding Nawaz Sharif’s return on Oct 21, another senior PPP leader from Punjab has raised objections to the plans to provide ‘official protocol’ to a convict upon his arrival, insisting that he must complete his jail term before contemplating an election run.
PPP’s Punjab general secretary, Hasan Murtaza, expressed his concerns during a press conference, accompanied by PPP’s Lahore president Aslam Gill. Murtaza emphasized that Nawaz Sharif should serve his jail term upon returning and should only consider running in the election after completing his sentence.
In the middle of his seven-year jail term in the Al-Azizia corruption case in 2019, Nawaz Sharif left for London, citing ‘medical grounds’ after the Lahore High Court granted him bail for ‘four weeks.’ During his absence, he was declared a proclaimed offender in the Al-Azizia and Avenfield graft cases.
Murtaza highlighted the significant legal challenges Nawaz Sharif faces and advised him not to become a spokesperson for the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) and allow it to perform its duties.
The PPP leader also criticized the caretaker government for not focusing on holding general elections and condemned the arrest of teachers, stating that the caretaker government lacked the mandate to alter teachers’ leave encashment and other benefits.
Secret Deal
He indirectly targeted the PML-N, mentioning that his party reserved the right to go to court to halt development projects in Punjab aimed at benefiting a specific party. He noted concerns about government servants acting as “personal servants” and emphasized the need for a level playing field.
On another note, Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) described Nawaz Sharif’s return as the result of “a secret deal,” asserting that it challenged the country’s justice system and the rule of law. PTI officials criticized the return as a violation of justice and law.
The PML-N has formally applied for permission from the district administration to hold a public meeting at Minar-i-Pakistan on October 21 to welcome Nawaz Sharif. The Lahore district administration is reviewing the law and order situation before granting permission for the event.
Furthermore, the PTI has also applied to the district administration for permission to hold a public meeting in Lahore on October 19, which is currently under review.
