When Pakistan’s Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Thursday escaped the possibility of being removed from office, he had few reasons to cheer. Though leaders from Sharif’s ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) celebrated the decision by the Supreme Court to order a further investigation against the prime minister following a detailed hearing in the so-called Panama leaks case, it was still hard to imagine Sharif coming out of the woods just yet.
The case relates to the source of large scale wealth belonging to the prime minister’s three children, unveiled in the globally reported Panama Papers. The revelations placed a solid spotlight on the establishment of offshore companies belonging to the prime minister’s children, and used subsequently to take substantial wealth to the UK. Ultimately, Sharif’s children purchased properties in central London at a price tag which was certainly well beyond the reach of most Pakistanis.
Reaping the benefit of a legal battle to the point where Sharif has received the assurance of carrying on to rule Pakistan, it should be of little comfort to the Pakistani leader. Sharif’s victory has coincided with an increasingly challenging energy crisis that has engulfed Pakistan.
In the past few weeks, large parts of rural Pakistan have witnessed worsening power blackouts with electricity cuts lasting for several hours every day. The worsening electricity crisis has also forced a reduction in industrial production in areas with long duration power cuts. Meanwhile, the rural areas of Pakistan are likely to witness a drop in agricultural production where crops rely on electricity driven irrigation systems such as tube wells.
On other fronts, Pakistanis continue to suffer in more ways than one. A security crisis linked to militancy in Pakistan has posed a significant challenge to the future of Pakistan. Though the Pakistan army has made significant progress against militant groups led by the Taliban, the challenge is far from resolved. One of Sharif’s cronies recently made himself the butt of jokes when he claimed that the prime minister had successfully led the fight against militants. However, nothing could be further from the truth. The prime minister has presided over what appears to be one of least capable governments for resolving the most vital challenges facing the country. On the matter of militancy itself, Pakistan is yet to see the appearance of a well-documented policy backed by the country’s mainstream political forces.
Little progress
Meanwhile, little progress has been made by virtue of reforming key areas of daily need such as education or health care or indeed the creation of jobs for the poor. Almost one-third of Pakistan’s population is widely known to live in abject poverty which highlights the scale of the challenge. Resolving this crisis will require a far more concerted push than hitherto shown by Pakistan’s rulers.
In sharp contrast to the areas which are in need of urgent attention to deal with the gaps in key functions, Pakistan’s present-day ruling structure continues to indulge in complacency of the worst kind. In Sharif’s case, his government continues to push ahead with its favoured initiatives such as the building of new fancy road networks and air-conditioned bus services while Pakistanis suffer due to the absence of more fundamental needs.
In the run up to Thursday’s verdict, statements from leaders of Sharif’s Pakistan Muslim League–Nawaz (PML-N) publicly predicting an adverse popular reaction in case of Sharif’s dismissal, also raised compelling questions over the ruling party’s reaction in case the prime minister lost his legal battle. Ultimately, questions must be asked over the willingness of the ruling party to abide by the law irrespective of the outcome of the Supreme Court trial.
However, the most troubling possible outcome beyond Sharif’s trial is enough to give nightmares to any Pakistani. Going forward, if indeed Sharif and his cronies decide to rapidly expand their political clout driven by the enthusiasm following the victory, they may provide fodder to a diverse group of opposition parties to join hands. Ultimately, a more united and a more organised opposition front will only pose new challenges to the Pakistani leader.
Coming out of the Supreme Court trial, Sharif’s best options are indeed three-fold: First, the prime minister must see the outcome of the court’s proceedings as a blessing in disguise. Rather than joyfully and blindly celebrating their victory, Sharif and his cronies must recognise the importance of reforming Pakistan to encourage those with offshore wealth to invest in their own country. At a time when Pakistan continues to face an uncertain economic future, notwithstanding the repeated official claims to the contrary, encouraging a reversal of the flight of capital from recent years could boost Pakistan’s prospects. Indeed, if Sharif and his children took the lead by selling their London based property and returning the proceeds back to Pakistan, that gesture will come across as a powerful example for others to follow.
Second, as Pakistan prepares for new national elections due by May next year, the new lease of political life awarded to Sharif must be used meaningfully by the prime minister to set the pace for undertaking hitherto missing reforms. A popular sense that Sharif has begun to be a more caring leader towards the poorest of the poor, will not only mark a long awaited and important policy shift. More importantly, such a gesture could also give a lift to the prime minister’s political credentials.
Finally, Sharif and his supporters must renew their commitment to respect for the law irrespective of the outcome of any judicial proceeding. This has to be a fundamental pillar for the establishment, promotion and consolidation of any democracy. Suggestions in the past weeks of a resistance to any push for Sharif’s removal has raised troubling questions over the extent to which Pakistan’s ruling party remains committed to a blind respect for the judiciary.
Though these compelling principles provide a badly-needed plank for nurturing Pakistan’s democracy, the writing on the wall remains troubling. Bolstered by the Supreme Court’s outcome, the danger is indeed that of Pakistan’s present-day rulers becoming just too complacent.
Farhan Bokhari is a Pakistan-based commentator who writes on political and economic matters.
