Chowrangi

It will be far easier for Mian Nawaz Sharif, former Prime Minister of Pakistan to remake Pakistan’s politics than any other current leader, political or non-political. He is the one who can bridge the gap between the polarized Pakistan. He realizes that Pakistan has become heavily sided with civilian population wanting Islamic state with democracy and road ahead through dialogue and in the peaceful way, while handful yet restless extremist fringe, who want Islamic state by force.

To his supporters Nawaz Sharif is Pakistan’s savior, but the many challenges richly troubled nation faces may be too grave for even its favorite son to surmount, but if he gets the backing of military and the liberal forces coupled with the religious factions like Jamat-e-Islami, than he could act as that dynamic, mellifluous and vibrant leader Pakistan needs right now. He could act as a nice bridge between increasingly apprehensive West, and increasingly hostile India and Afghanistan.

Shah Abdullah’s warm farewell to Nawaz Sharif clearly shows the support he enjoys with the Saudis, who are the favorite of Americans, and its impossible that Nawaz Sharif could come back without American assent, though indirect. One wonders what made Musharraf changed his once stubborn and stony stance of not allowing Sharif brothers and their family to return to their homeland.

Whatever it is, but one thing is for sure that Pakistan needs its political leadership more than ever now. Law and order demands it. Foreign relations demand it. Defense demands it. Provinces demand it and the whole of Pakistan demands it. It’s now or never for the country. Whatever the pressures are but Musharraf should be lauded for showing restrain this time in the matter of Nawaz Sharif. He would do a swell and great job now for lifting the emergency, lifting the ban on media, restoring judiciary, revoking PCO, and ensuring free and fair elections by re-designing the caretaker setup.

Other posts by Commoner

• Not So Grave - December 2nd, 2008
• Adil Najam: A Mumbaikar? - December 2nd, 2008
• Save Karachi - December 1st, 2008
• Belligerency Won't Take us Anywhere - December 1st, 2008
• Careless Approach by Nuclear India - November 30th, 2008
• Indo-Pak Tension - November 30th, 2008
• India Should Solve Its Own Problems - November 29th, 2008
• Implicating ISI in Mumbai Attacks - November 29th, 2008
• Sure Disaster - November 28th, 2008
• NRO for Increasing Marks of Lucky Daughter - November 28th, 2008