A story-book vindication

When you encounter someone who looks worried and lost in thought, the obvious inference is that he is not happy with either himself or the world. It so happened that I noticed such a person sitting alone on his table in an upmarket restaurant in Islamabad on Thursday afternoon. When I looked again, I made eye contact with a senior leader of the newly-elected ruling party at the centre.
Why so pensive?, I asked. He was obviously very tired and sleep-deprived and had just found time to grab a sandwich. He confessed to feeling overawed by the challenges that lay ahead for his party and for himself as one of its leading players. We had some moments to talk this over and I was able to get some insight into how some of the major recent decisions were being made.
Frankly, I found this chance meeting quite reassuring. It is good that the PML-N leadership is fully conscious of the gravity of the present situation. One evidence of this was the look on the face of Nawaz Sharif as we saw him in the National Assembly and also while taking oath as the prime minister for the record third time.
Actually, the victory that he has won should deserve a great celebration. When he was elected leader of the house in the National Assembly, the media did take note of the historic turn of events in his life. What a thrilling story this has been, coming back from the wilderness on the shoulders of a people’s verdict.
But the most exciting twist here is that the military ruler who had removed an elected prime minister and had sought to humiliate him like an ordinary criminal was himself under house arrest not many miles from where the ceremonies of a democratic transfer of power were performed. And now, it is Nawaz Sharif who must decide how the charges of treason and other serious derelictions against the former military ruler should proceed.
This is how fate sometimes conspires to steer the destinies of men who want to change history. One could have predicted the return of Nawaz Sharif as the prime minister. But it was not easy to have foreseen the quixotic return of Gen Pervez Musharraf to Pakistan to want to lead the country out of the quagmire that he had himself helped to create. Here is another example of what power – seemingly unlimited power – can do to the judgement of an otherwise sensible individual.
Let me not stray into the issue of what Nawaz Sharif should do about Pervez Musharraf, though this is one of the major topics of conversations around the country. It is also very divisive, as all crucial matters of national importance are likely to be. I have referred to it to only underline the drama of history’s vindication of Nawaz Sharif. That Nawaz Sharif does not look like a charming prince riding a white stallion only serves to enhance the dramatic impact. Or would you want me to invoke the image of a commando, firing his handgun in the air?
Be that as it may, let me return to this juxtaposition of an impulse for wild celebration and the logic for thoughtful deliberation. As I said, it is good to see that Nawaz Sharif and his colleagues are portraying a sense of urgency. This is how it should be because political rulers must remain in constant touch with the reality that exists on the ground.
I mentioned that visit to a restaurant in Islamabad. It was possible because of my overnight visit to the capital this week. Though I get this opportunity now and then, it is always an experience for a Karachiite. Besides, this was an eventful week in which the torch was passed to a new set of rulers and the social environment in Islamabad was thick with anticipation and gossip.
The reason for my visit was to participate in a formal session to suggest to the governments in Islamabad and provincial capitals what their priorities should be in the first hundred days of their tenure. On the face of it, this would be a simple exercise but it was instructive to learn that there still was some heated discussion in a group that also included some former ‘rulers’. It is easy to guess that Musharraf was also a cause of passionately expressed opinions.
About Islamabad, I have occasionally lamented the fact that it is a physical reminder of the distance that our rulers have kept from the rest of the country. Irrespective of every nation’s need for some monumental glory and symbols that may represent the majesty of its institutions, Islamabad was more like an escape from reality. Once, I had termed it a death wish. Even now, when Islamabad has grown as a city with its underbelly in a social context, it prompts a sense of alienation.
My point here is that residing in this citadel of authority, surrounded by power brokers of all categories, can be very distracting for practising politicians. Look at what has happened to the rulers of the past five years. Hence, one advice to the new rulers would be to not be deceived by the false sense of power and security that living in the bubble of Islamabad is likely to inspire. Another advice to the ministers would be to ration their appearances on talk shows because they should not have all that free time.
Finally, I should explain that I am not a traditional supporter of Nawaz Sharif or his party, as my beloved infidel was the PPP. Though one was initially impressed by the good governance demonstrated in Punjab by Shahbaz Sharif, the manner in which Nawaz Sharif is embarking on his perilous journey is truly remarkable.
He deserves all praise for the options he has exercised in Balochistan and in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. But for me, the wisdom he has shown in appointing Munir Malik as the new attorney general of Pakistan is most significant. If this is a true indication of how he will select his team of officials and high functionaries, I will be happy to renew my hope in the future of this country.
At a personal level, this renewal of hope is a gift that I had not expected. I have already confessed to having been addicted to pessimism for some years. It may be too early to say that the message imbedded in Munir Malik’s appointment will be valid in other areas that have a bearing on the national sense of direction. But let us rejoice in what we have at this moment.
The writer is a staff member. Email: ghazi_salahuddin@hotmail.com