The New Nation - Internet Edition

Dr. Abdul Ruff

After seven years of exile in Saudi Arabia and Britain, former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has landed in Pakistan on Sunday the 25th November for the second time within a month after the unsuccessful landing on September 10 from London when he was sent back to Saudi Arabia from the airport. Sharif has now come back to a rapturous welcome from his supporters in Lahore. "I am here for the sake of democracy and the people of Pakistan," a visibly jubilant Sharif told an emotionally charged crowd outside Lahore airport. Sharif claims that he has trust in people of Pakistan and is confident that he would return to power.

It is interesting to see that Musharraf has now allowed Sharif back into the country and there are reports that he is the "likely" candidate for the prime-minister ship. But, Sharif had been saying that all along Musharraf is unacceptable to him "with or without uniform," but his younger brother said on Friday that they have no grudge against anyone and, without naming Musharraf, said they would be working together for the betterment of the country.

Some media say that Sharif is coming back after a deal with Musharraf, who was recently in Saudi Arabia, and would be contesting the elections against another former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto who came back October 18 ending her eight years of self-exile. Media also have come out with fresh information that Sharif had not met Musharraf recently in Riyadh and he has no such understanding with him. Accordingly, Sharif told that his return was "not the result of any deal" with Gen Musharraf, referring to reports that he had come home under an arrangement with the military ruler. Sharif, as per the reports available afterwords, later said the deal was only for five years. Media reports have thus confused the people as much as it is possible. Sharif has filed his nomination from Lahore, but says he would bycott the poll, if emergency is lifted by 09 January.

Nawaz Sharif, found guilty of fraud and corruption, along with his 19 family members was sent into exile to Saudi Arabia by President Pervez Musharraf in December 2000, almost a year after his government was overthrown in a bloodless coup in October 1999. In 2005 he was allowed by the Saudi authorities to leave the country and went to London with all his family members.

Sharif started his political career in 1980 when he was made a provincial minister during military ruler Zia-ul-Haq's era. In 1985, he contested the non-party polls and was elected member of the Punjab assembly and became Zia's handpicked chief minister. In 1988, when Benazir became prime minister of the country, Sharif was chief minister in Punjab and gave tough time to her - denying her protocol during her visits to Punjab. Benazir, because of Sharif's attitude, had to shift the national day parade venue from Rawalpindi to the federal capital.

However, after Benazir's government was sacked by then president Ghulam Ishaq Khan, Sharif became the prime minister but could not survive under Khan and his assembly was also dissolved. This gave Benazir another chance to become prime minister in 1994, but again she was sacked by her own handpicked president Farooq Leghari on corruption charges.

In the 1997 general elections, Sharif's party returned to parliament with two-third majority, giving him a chance to amend the constitution and remove presidential powers to dissolve parliament. Sharif also authorized the testing of Pakistan's nuclear bomb, despite tremendous international pressure, days after Indian tests in May 1998. In October 1998 Sharif forced then army chief Jehangir Karamat to resign who, according to him, had tried to intervene in politics and replaced him with Pervez Musharraf who was then at number five in the army seniority list. Sharif, according to observers, thought that being an Urdu-speaking officer Musharraf might not have strong footings within the army but this assumption proved to be wrong.

Musharraf was on a visit to Sri Lanka when on October 12, 1999 Sharif dismissed him and appointed another general as army chief. Reports suggested that Sharif government was about to knock Musharraf off. But Musharraf's colleagues revolted against the civilian government and put Sharif under arrest until the army chief landed at Karachi airport after which took over the power and put Sharif and several of his colleagues in jail before sending him into exile in December 2000.

Sharif's return to Pakistan was his second attempt in the past three months to end his exile. Sharif also said that emergency conditions imposed by General Musharraf on 3 November were "not conducive" to free and fair elections. On 26 Nov, the last day for filing nominations, Sharif filed nomination papers for the country's general elections from Lahore, but insists that he might boycott the poll, but reiterates that he would not stand for election unless President Pervez Musharraf lifts the state of emergency. Earlier, the former prime minister told the BBC by mobile telephone from his plane that it was unlikely that he would be able to work with Gen Musharraf, as his ultimate objective was to rid Pakistan of military rule. "I am here to play my role and also make my own efforts to rid the country of dictatorship," Sharif said.

Another former Premier Benazir Bhutto also has filed papers in her Larkana constituency for a regular seat, apert from other nominations for two more seats. She, too, has left open the possibility of a boycott. Both state that they would boycott elections to be held on 9 January, if emergency is not lifted.Bhutto has now filed papers for two more parliamentary seats. Two bombings killed more than 130 people at a homecoming parade in Karachi for Ms Bhutto last month. Sharif and Bhutto are both demanding an end to the emergency and other steps they say are essential for a fair vote. They also want to see sacked judges reinstated. "The issue is those actions he took on November 3 have to be reversed if we are to hold free and fair elections," Sharif said.

Musharraf reiterated that military rule in Pakistan would continue until the country gets back to stability and peace. He imposed emergency rule on 3 November in order, he said, to rein in the judiciary, nuclear weapons and deal with a growing threat from Islamist militants. Lifting emergency or shedding uniform would further destabilize the nation. The West and its allies are looking forward to Musharraf shedding his uniform and lift emergency. That would, considering the tensed atmosphere in the country and region, revert the county back to chaos.

Reports suggest that Musharraf's party might have an edge over the rival parties in the fray. The most likely outcome could be even a hung parliament with no party winning a clear majority, analysts say. Musharraf would then need the help of religious parties or one or other of his old rivals. The media expect Musharraf to be driven to the army's general headquarters on Wednesday to hand over his position as head of the army to his successor, Gen Ashfaq Pervez Kiani.

The West that has invaded Islamic nations under the "terrorism" pretext, apply constant pressure to appease the opposition. The most serious pressure on President Musharraf to give up his uniform has come from the United States, his main international backer. Washington has grown concerned in recent months at the army's inability to rein in pro-Taliban militants and by Gen Musharraf's growing unpopularity. It had been backing talks between President Musharraf and former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, who heads the country's largest political party, for a power-sharing deal. US-led western media harp on the themes of democracy and rule of law and say that as a civilian leader, President Musharraf would still have considerable powers, including the power to sack a civilian government. And, hence, they want Musharraf to lift the emergency.

Gen Musharraf will be sworn in for another term as president this week and night still be in uniform. That is quite understandable. Benazir considers Sharif as a serious threat to the prospects of her PPP party and an imminent contender for the Premiership on which she also eyes. Both are keen to recapture the reign in Islamabad at any cost. It is believed that Gen Musharraf is hoping that Sharif will be able to dent Benazir Bhutto's prospects in the forthcoming parliamentary elections. Certainly both don't think in terms of genuine service to nation.

President Musharraf should ponder seriously over the future scenario once emergency is lifted and uniform is shed only to appease the opposition, West and western media. Have the real reasons disappeared so as to cater for the needs of those sections that seek to destabilize the nation, brutally terrorize it and loot and squander the resources again? It has become a sheer habit of the USA to deliver lectures on "democracy" without understanding or hiding the goals of genuine democracy in the world! Russia and China, two UNSC-5 veto members don't buy that, but Pakistan can be bullied easily! Is it not funny?