Cyril Almeida Updated May 12, 2018

UNFAZED by ongoing defections from his PML-N, Nawaz Sharif insists the defectors didn’t leave the party, rather they were taken away.—
Reuters

LAMBASTING the ongoing accountability process

against himself and his family, former prime
minister and PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif has said:
“You can’t run a country if you have two or three
parallel governments. This has to stop. There can
only be one government: the constitutional one.”

In a wide-ranging and exclusive interview with Dawn ahead of

his rally in Multan on Friday, a relaxed but adamant Sharif
dismissed the recent defections from the PML-N, particularly
in southern Punjab. “They didn’t leave the party, they were
taken away. Who took them away?” Mr Sharif asked.
“If there really was a mahaz (front), then why did it last only
two days? Who forced them to immediately join PTI?” Mr
Sharif continued.

The rally in Multan was his first visit to southern Punjab’s

largest city since his ouster in last July and the former prime
minister was keen to steer the interview back to his politics of
grievance rather than discuss regional political dynamics.

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Also read: From disgrace to supreme leader

He denied that the Jhelum rally earlier in the week signalled a

possible slowdown in momentum or weakening of public
support for him. “Perhaps it was a smaller ground, but it was
packed to capacity,” said Mr Sharif. “It is a very popular
slogan,” he said of ‘mujhe kyun nikala?’ and, added with
evident satisfaction, “There is a lot of appreciation, a lot of
recognition for it.”

Ex-PM denies a third ouster

from the premiership
represents a failed approach on
his part, suggests he won’t do
anything differently if returned
to public office

The PML-N supreme leader also deflected questions about

who will lead the party in the upcoming general elections
campaign and whether his brother, Shahbaz Sharif, will be the
prime ministerial candidate. Instead, he offered: “There is a
lot of appreciation for Shahbaz Sharif. Look around this city
and see how it’s totally transformed.”

The ex-premier was more animated and expansive while

discussing his own record in office from 2013 to 2017, citing
familiar road and electricity projects and higher economic
growth. He repeatedly rejected criticism that his government
failed to implement structural reforms, whether political, legal
or economic, but finally said: “When there’s destabilisation
from the first year, who can do reforms?” — a reference to the
joint dharna of PTI and Tahirul Qadri in 2014.

Asked what he believes is the reason for his ouster from public
office, Mr Sharif did not reply directly but steered the
conversation towards foreign policy and national security.
“We have isolated ourselves. Despite giving sacrifices, our
narrative is not being accepted. Afghanistan’s narrative is
being accepted, but ours is not. We must look into it.”

He continued: “Militant organisations are active. Call them

non-state actors, should we allow them to cross the border
and kill 150 people in Mumbai? Explain it to me. Why can’t we
complete the trial?” — a reference to the Mumbai attacks-
related trials which have stalled in a Rawalpindi anti-
terrorism court.

“It’s absolutely unacceptable. This is exactly what we are

struggling for. President Putin has said it. President Xi has
said it,” Mr Sharif said. “We could have already been at seven
per cent growth (in GDP), but we are not.”

He denied that a third ouster from the premiership

represented a failed approach on his part and suggested he
had no regrets nor would he have to do anything differently if
he returned to public office. “The Constitution has to be
supreme. There is no other way. Look, we put a dictator on
trial; it had never been done before,” referring to retired Gen
Pervez Musharraf.

Mr Sharif also rejected speculation that he would consider a

deal if offered to him, another stint in exile for avoiding a jail
sentence, for example. “Why would I do it now after 66
appearances (before a NAB court)? We don’t even get an
exemption,” to visit his wife, Kulsum Nawaz, who is
undergoing cancer treatment in the UK. “It’s not easy to stay
away.”

“Look, we have no other choice,” Mr Sharif said before leaving

to address the Multan rally. “These games have gone on too
long. Something has to change.”
But Mr Sharif’s sangfroid and confidence is not shared by
others, including many in his party. After the completion of
parliament’s term at the end of May, defections from the
PML-N could accelerate, leaving him with a powerful electoral
slogan, sympathetic voters, but few winning candidates and,
ultimately, few seats in the next parliament.

Published in Dawn, May 12th, 2018