Mohammad Zubair, newly-appointed spokesperson for former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and his daughter Maryam Nawaz and former governor Sindh, has claimed that the world’s greatest revolutions were lead from outside the country. While answering a question raised by Federal Minister for Science and Technology Fawad Chaudhary in Hamid Mir’s talk-show Capital Talk, Zubair also said “see how Khomeini shb brought one of the world’s greatest revolution while sitting in France”. “Do you mean Nawaz is Imam Khomeini?” asked Fawad.
Hamid Mir asked Fawad about his government’s plan to bring Nawaz back to Pakistan. “We don’t think we should do anything for Nawaz’s return. He has been Pakistan’s Prime Minister, and must come back to face courts,” Fawad said. “You see as Nawaz went to London he did not visit any hospital or had surgery,” he added.
Sayyid Ruhollah Mūsavi Khomeini (4 Sept 1902 – 3 June 1989), known to the world as Ayatollah Khomeini, was the founder of the Islamic Republic of Iran and the leader of the 1979 Iranian Revolution that overthrew the last Shah of Iran, Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, who was supported by the United States. This brought a symbolic end to 2,500 years of Persian Sassanid monarchy and turned Iran into an Islamist republic sending tremors across a region ruled by dynastic monarchies.
Iran has a closer to democracy system?
Academics and experts opine that revolutions are complex processes that bring change and re-shape the existing socio-cultural discourses. In an article, Dr. Moeed Pirzada, a prominent Pakistani political commentator, highlighted the same idea: “Revolutions have layers of leadership and intelligentsia and scores of characters identified with them. French revolution brings to mind names like Rousseau, Mirabeau, Marquis de Lafayette, Robespierre, Jean-Paul Marat, Danton, and so on. But in the case of the Iranian revolution, one man stands out. Thirty years after his death; the Muslim world remembers him merely as “Imam Khomeini”, wrote Dr. Pirzada.
Iranian Revolution changed the course of Iranian politics, cultural orientation, and economic trends. An ideology-driven state with an agenda to enforce a uniquely defined idea of Islam was formed that attracted both the western opposition and regional challenges.
“While Iranian Islamist rule cannot be described as a western-style democracy, but the revolution produced a system of politics in which governments came through reasonably fair elections, and if there is a stable system closer to democracy in the whole Middle East then it is Iran” added Dr. Pirzada.
Nawaz’s Sharif: Politics, Governance and Ideology
Nawaz Sharif has been in Pakistan politics for the last more than three decades; he was made the CM Punjab in the 1980s and later on the country’s prime minister. However, due to some personal and organizational lapse of his party, he failed to complete his tenure in the office. Nawaz was ousted from his office by the Supreme Court of Pakistan in 2017 as he “was no longer honest and truthful”.
Nawaz’s political model is often termed as family-centric due to its inherent dynastic posture. Maryam and Hamza are said to be the political hires of revolutionary Nawaz, who claims to overthrow the existing system.
Analysts argue that PML-N remained unsuccessful to revive economic activity, political stability, and social harmony. Publicity oriented projects were on the PML-N’s table with a special focus on Lahore. The government remained unable to ensure any sustainable development at economic or political levels.
After his disqualification, while addressing a rally, Nawaz Sharif claimed to be an ideology: “Nawaz Sharif is an ideology and this ideology will bring revolutionary change across Pakistan,” he said.
Syed Aminah Gilani, a Lahore-based academic spoke to GVS to comment on Nawaz’s claim: “There is a problem with what the ex-PM has so confidently claimed, she said. “I am an ideology. What does Nawaz mean when he claims to be an ideology? Does it mean a man who is there to stand for democracy? Does it imply a leader who is selflessly working for the betterment of his people? Does it mean a man who is strong enough to bring economic prosperity and social organization? Does it mean a reformer who is working to ensure equality, tolerance, and progress? What does Nawaz prefer to be associated with? A strong man? A fearless leader? A committed reformer?”
Read more: Nawaz Sharif – The unacceptable face of our politics
“The truth is all strong men, fearless leaders and committed reformers have never been so self-centered nor have they been spending their lives so lavishly. Ironically, a man who claims to be a symbol, essence, and demonstration of an ideology seems to be a person having an ideology based on himself,” she concluded.
Pak-Iran relations after Zubair’s statement
GVS spoke to Rana Eijaz Ahmad, Professor of International Relations at the Department of Political Science and Host Director Confucius Institute, University of the Punjab Lahore, spoke to GVS to comment on the development. “It is always a disappointment when we have any comments from any Pakistani so-called leaders. Muhammad Zubair, a leader of the former ruling party, seems to be defending his leaders,” said Professor Ahmad.
He also said that “Pakistan and Iran are different countries as far as their political systems are concerned. Making or creating an analogy between Nawaz Sharief and Imam Khomeini shows the level of understanding of Pakistani political dealers, popularly known as leaders.”
Professor Rana Eijaz Ahmad also talked about the contributions of Imam Khomeini. : Imam Khomeini authored 40 Islamic books as a charismatic clergyman of Iran and helped to finish the 2500 years long monarchy from the country. Here in Pakistan NS and his accomplices have been ruling the country for more than thirty years and looted the country relentlessly,” he maintained.
While commenting on Nawaz, he said that “NS would have never read a complete book during his studies. I am sure about it. Therefore, comparing NS with Imam Khomeini may make Pakistan-Iran relations tense. Iran may take notice of this bizarre statement of Muhammad Zubair. Additionally, the Shia community in Pakistan may get outrageous on the insult of their Imam as comparing him with NS is tantamount to insult. Imam Khomeini was a role model for Shia Muslin and NS is a role model for his daughter Maryam Nawaz only.”
“Pakistani dealers habitually call their so-called leaders Mandela, Quaid-i-Azam, and now Imam Khomeini. My personal observation is it was all a well-planned statement, a few days back when Maryam Nawaz called his father as Imam and left its details with Muhammad Zubair who uttered the details of Imam as Khomeini. Such mannequins are themselves fake and keep making such falsified statements show their character and disposition,” he added.
Finally, he said that “NS and his company may be considered as revolutionary for creating such a big size corruption and popularly named as Sicilian Mafia by the Supreme Court of Pakistan”.