Muslim League-Nawaz beset with challenges

The chief of his faction of Pakistan Muslim League, Nawaz Sharif, is facing unusually tough ride these days. The party is beset with multiple challenges due to a host of reasons; each staring in the eyes of this leader hailing
from the Pakistan’s most populous province, Punjab.

The biggest crisis that recently reared its head was Javed Hashmi’s unexpected decision to quit the party, and join the increasingly popular Pakistan Tehrik Insaaf (PTI), headed by Imran Khan. While there were already a lot of
defections, this one dealt a severe blow to Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N).

Even though the party came up with a carefully worded response to this development, what is clearly known is that it has left deep impact on the outlook of the party as a whole. However, what was quite unfair was the statement
of Punjab’s Law Minister Rana Sanullah.

Speaking to the journalists outside the Punjab Assembly a couple of days ago, he said the establishment had trapped Mukhdoom Javed Hashmi but he will not receive as much respect as given to him by the PML-N.

That a leader of his calibre would forsake his party to join one that the former accuses of being a creation of the powerful establishment is itself a shock to the PML-N.

Nawaz Sharif has this to say for him: “Whatever decision he [Hashmi] has taken must have been thought over, however, it would’ve been nice if he had properly said goodbye to us [PML-N]."

Senator Pervez Rashid of the PML-N said that he was saddened over Hashmi’s decision and it broke hearts.

Hashmi, for his part, is clear about why he joined PTI. While he might not have expected to be accused of being trapped by establishment (like Rana Sanullah said), he says he has done it for Pakistan.

As to why Javed Hashmi had to make this decision is something that is subject to debate. However, to stop further defections, which is very likely, the PML-N has to introspect. The issue is too serious to get a cursory attention.

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Posted by Sajjad Hussain on Dec 29 2011. Filed under Opinion. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry