In Pakistan, the legitimacy of the elections held on February 08 is a significant concern as the party whose independent members won the largest number of seats as it had lost the election symbol and was not eligible namely the Pakistan Tehreek Insaaf [PTI] was technically ruled out for government formation.
This places the Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz [PMLN ] which has emerged as the second largest party at the head of a Coalition whose strings at in the hands of the Pakistan Army which can pull the rug from under their feet so to say.
Thus a country in what is famously called as a ‘poly crisis’ given multiple challenges from the economy to terrorism will remain on the brink over the next few years.
Despite the setback, the Sharifs especially the senior - Nawaz Sharif is now thrusting the family on the centre stage.
Nawaz Chairs Punjab Government Meetings
Dawn News Reported that PML-N supreme leader Nawaz Sharif chaired three administrative meetings of the Punjab government even as he holds no official position in either the provincial or federal government and is officially only a National Assembly member.
In fact the temerity of the Sharifs is evident as Dawn reported that an official handout issued after the meeting said the PML-N supremo issued directions to ministers and officials regarding different infrastructure projects, including the underground train and metro bus, farmers’ plight, electric bikes for students and Ramazan relief package.
Maryam Nawaz Sharif, the Punjab chief minister is reported to have sat beside her father during the meetings at the Chief Minister’s Office.
While Shehbaz Sharif, younger brother considered a favourite of the military establishment, managed to form a coalition federal government with the help of five other parties, including the Pakistan Peoples Party led by ex-foreign minister Bilawal Zardari-Bhutto, it appears that Mr Nawaz who has always enjoyed the role of the King in PML N politics may be suffering from attention deficit.
Thus, he occupied the centre stage even as Maryam Nawaz, 50, the first woman chief minister in Pakistan’s history sat on the side lines.
She is the political heir of Nawaz Sharif and is possibly being groomed for higher offices through the provincial government route.
The chairing of the meetings by Nawaz could be seen as a constitutional impropriety but in Pakistan the Sharifs are now on the top of the hierarchy and thus it seems nothing can stop them as on the same day Islamabad accountability court acquitted former prime minister Nawaz Sharif’s sons — Hussain Nawaz and Hassan Nawaz — in three corruption references related to the Panama Papers.
What role will Nawaz's sons play now remains to be seen?