News Analysis |
“Nawaz facing life threats owing to his worsening health and his treatment is not possible in the prison”, the doctors have said in their report filed with the bail plea.
Nawaz’s counsel has also rejected the impression of NRO or any other deal with the government. “Political opponents are making propaganda that my counsel is looking for a NRO, but one should not forget that he [Nawaz] reached back Pakistan by leaving his ailing wife, who died of cancer in the UK”, the plea read.
Sharif is currently serving a jail term of 7-years on being proven guilty in the Al-Azizia reference filed against him by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB).
Sources also confirm that the PPP is not directly approaching PM Khan to get relief for Asif Ali Zardari, who is facing charges of money laundering and fake bank accounts. PPP is doing smart politics.
Earlier this month, the Supreme Court of Pakistan rejected his petition seeking permanent bail on medical grounds. Nawaz was a six-week-long leave for the treatment in a hospital of his choice. Contrary to what was presented before the apex court, Nawaz did not go to any hospital and spent his six week bail meeting political leaders at his residence. SC judges, while rejecting his bail plea, noted that Nawaz deliberately wasted his six weeks and now has lost the right to get the bail extended.
For political analysts and experts, the timing of the current bail plea is very important. One day before, Maryam Nawaz joined Bilawal Bhutto Zardari over an Iftar dinner and jointly decided to launch an anti-government movement after Eid. The question raised by Kashif Abbasi, of ARY, was “what if Nawaz Sharif is released on bail and is allowed to leave for London?”
Read more: Sharif moves IHC to grant bail on medical grounds
After threatening the government of street agitation and protests, Maryam Nawaz took to Twitter and said “[a]nd to remind ourselves daily and several times a day that what Nawaz Sharif is facing today is because he raised this slogan & stood & fought for it. He is paying the price for being on the right side of history. He sacrificed his today for our tomorrow, lest we forget.”
And to remind ourselves daily and several times a day that what Nawaz Sharif is facing today is because he raised this slogan & stood & fought for it. He is paying the price for being on the right side of history. He sacrificed his today for our tomorrow, lest we forget. https://t.co/KRlnpm90ph
— Maryam Nawaz Sharif (@MaryamNSharif) May 20, 2019
G-M Pitafi, a Lahore based academic and political analyst, believes that the opposition has created pressure to compel the government to sign a deal and allow both Nawaz and Zardari to go abroad without any difficulty. “As a matter of fact, Pindi has a soft corner for Nawaz and apparently willing to give one more NRO to him but Prime Minister Imran Khan, whose struggle has been against the status quo, is not ready to listen to any such political settlement,” he told GVS.
Professor Pitafi also believes that the purpose of Iftar dinner was to set the stage for the bail petition and now if Nawaz is granted bail and is allowed to travel to London, there is going to be yet another huge change in PML-N’s narrative.
Read more: SC dismisses Nawaz’s application seeking medical treatment in UK
Sources also reveal that some members of Sharif family are in contact with the Prime Minister and requesting him to ‘have mercy’. But as per initial information, the PM is not willing to let the Sharifs go abroad and evade accountability. Sources also confirm that the PPP is not directly approaching PM Khan to get relief for Asif Ali Zardari, who is facing charges of money laundering and fake bank accounts. “PPP is doing smart politics. They are not sending messages to the Prime Minister. Zardari knows who will ultimately help him getting some relief,” sources privy to secret meetings told GVS.