Pakistan’s Road to 2018 Elections
Many western countries, especially India, look at Pakistan as a failed country. However, what their myopic mind refuses to acknowledge is the flourishing democracy that has come back to Pakistan after 2008, when Gen Parvaiz Musharraf was overthrown by lawyers’ agitation. Since then the country has been on a progressive curve in every field including the democracy.
Since the emergence of, cricketer-turned-politician, Imran Khan on the political landscape of Pakistan by the end of 2010, the democracy in Pakistan has grown many folds including her economy and GDP that has grown quite considerably well, but still only the images of suicide attacks beam world over, especially by its neighbours.
In the above stated scheme of things comes the one of the most talked scandals that has hit Pakistan in recent times the – Panama Paper Leaks. The Panama Papers, which refer to a massive trove of secret documents leaked from Panamanian law firm Mossack Fonseca had said that the Nawaz Sharif’s children, Maryam, Hasan and Hussain Nawaz “were owners or had the right to authorise transactions for several [offshore] companies”.
The documents that were leaked said that at least eight offshore companies were found to have links to the Sharif family.
Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan with support of few filed PIL in Pakistan Supreme Court and within a span of year in a landmark decision the Supreme Court has ordered a probe by a Joint Investigation Team, which has to submit a report in 60 days.
Such a landmark decision should be an eye opener for those who think Pakistan is a failed state because Pakistani has showed it time and again how they go by rule of law and not by the fanaticism or vigilantisms that is prevalent in their neighbouring countries.
After Supreme Court ruling on the Panamagate case, Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan was quick to demand a resignation from Nawaz Sharif saying:“If you’re cleared within 60 days, you can return.”
On the part of Nawaz, Sharif who is the most corrupt leader after Asif Ali Zardari, should resign forthwith and recall a general election within three months of time to prove his legitimacy to the chair of prime minister ship in Pakistan. By doing so he will set precedence and it will give boost to Pakistan democracy as well.
There is also every chance that given the influence of Nawaz Sharif over the institutions in Pakistan he can intrude with the Joint Investigation Team (JIT) ordered by the Supreme Court.
The Panama Paper Leaks will be one of the major tools in the hands of opposition especially in the hands of PTI Chairman Imran Khan in the upcoming general election that is only 11 months away in Pakistan. These leaks are going to badly hit the Nawaz family. It would have been better for the family to resign and leave power so some credibility is restore in public eye. Also, all the credit must go to (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan for persuing the case and filing a PIL in Supreme Court. Had it not been Imran Khan this scandal like others in Pakistan would have also never seen the daylight.
The flamboyant Pakistani leader Sheikh Rasheed Ahmad who is also the chairman of Awami Muslim League and considered to be very close to Imran Khan had said: “Ya tonoon rahega, Ya Kanoon rahega”, (Either will will be PLM-N or there will be law) and his saying has prevailed when the Supreme Court verdict came out.
From his point onwards it will be very difficult for Nawaz Sharif to restore his tarnished image among the common people of Pakistan and he has only got eleven months to prove himself. So far, he has managed to duck to every bouncer bowled at him by Imran Khan, how he ducks this one needs to seen! The road to 2018 elections has started on a very sour note between Imran and Nawaz.
