Nor PML-N

I have not written the title ‘Neither PPP nor PML-N’, because I consider the reader intelligent enough to not even consider voting for PPP considering the financial inflation, energy crisis, target killing, sectarian massacres and escalation of drones in the past five years. If anyone is getting impressed by the Pak-Iran gas pipeline deal, well that is just an election stunt. The Pak-Iran gas pipeline deal is a must-do project, but it has been on the table since 1990. The fact that it has been ‘finalized’ in a daring move near the elections is all too obvious. I can bet that if PPP returns to power, they will cancel or postpone the project under some pretext of a ‘technical difficulty’. PPP does not have the concept, ethics or dare to defy America.

As far as PML-N is concerned, our family and friends have voted for PML-N as long as I can remember it.

But, no more. We have shifted from PML-N to PTI and Jamat-e-Islami. Why?

Yes definitely PML-N has a nameable contribution to the economy and development of Pakistan. To name the most prominent projects is Pakistan Motorway, Yellow Cab Scheme, Sasti Roti, Metro Bus Service, Highways and Flyovers. I would have liked to mention the Nuclear Test of 1988 but I will not do so because we all know that it was actually the Armed Forces who took a stand and gave no room to Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to succumb to the American pressure and not go ahead with the tests. I would have also liked to mention Laptops, but those too have been distributed solely in competition of PTI.

However, the pitfall of PML-N performance remains in their continuous exhibition of a weak Faith, confused ideology and cowardice. One day PML-N passes a bill against concerts. When the disco youth creates a fuss, PML-N quickly conducts a mixed marathon race to ‘damage control’ and save their vote bank. Do they consider people’s mood more important, powerful and decisive than Allah Almighty’s Will? Will compromising Islam win them elections? Are we here to fulfill people’s whims or Allah Almighty’s commandments?

As Allama Iqbal puts it very well,

Meri zindagi ka maqsad, Terae deen ki sarfarazi
Mae isi liye musalman, Mae isi liye namazi

And that is why any Muslim is a politician. And that is why any Muslim is a doctor. And that is why any Muslim is an engineer. And that is why any Muslim is a teacher. And that is why any Muslim is a student. And that is why any Muslim lives. And that is why any Muslim dies. To glorify Islam, and not to misuse it for personal gains or ignore it in the hour of need.

In the political scenario, Pakistan has been facing increasing turbulence in the last ten years and circumstances demanded a sincere, solid and unwavering performance.

Let us see PML-N’s performance of the last five years.

PML-N promised to avenge the Lal Masjid episode in the manifesto of 2008 elections and even visited them. Did Mian Nawaz Sharif ever again visit the Lal Masjid folks after winning the Punjab elections? Did they seek an investigation and a trial? Did they try to recover the missing girls of Lal Masjid who are reported to have been ‘distributed’ in Punjab?

PML-N was hesitating to take a decisive stand for participation in Long March 2009. It was very obvious from TV interviews of PML-N members. Then, it was only when President Zardari toppled the Punjab government that the Sharif brothers got into action and joined the Long March with full gusto. It was for the restoration of their government and not so much for the Judiciary. Further, today PML-N members twist the happenings of the Long March 2009 and accuse Imran Khan of eloping from the scene while we all know that he was in fact in hiding, as activists were being picked up by the agencies. He was in hiding within Islamabad in order to join the Long March in the capital on the final day, that was 16th March 2009. However, the Chief Justice was restored prior to it. It is very bad of PML-N members to twist facts like this while we are all witness to the happenings of that revolution and Imran Khan’s committed participation in it and likewise always.

According to Wikileaks, secret interviews were conducted to judge the opinion of Pakistani politicians upon drone attacks. Only Imran Khan and Jamat-e-Islami condemned them in confidential meetings as well, while others condemned in public and commended in private. PML-N not only sanctioned them but said something that can even be termed as funny. They said that, ‘Since we do not have drone technology, you kill them. When we will have the drone technology, we will do it ourselves’. Very criminal and anti-Islamic sentiments!

When Dr. Aafia Siddiqui was being sentenced on 23rd September, 2010, Mian Nawaz Shareef sent a message to the media that he was praying on the Musalah for her. Why did he not choose to sit and pray on the Musalah instead of leading the Long March when his brother’s provincial government was toppled in 2009? Had he lead a similar Long March for Aafia Siddiqui and Missing Persons, the scenario of Pakistan would have been positively and totally different today.

Just before Raymond Davis was released, Mian Nawaz Shareef suddenly went to the UK for some heart surgery, an ailment we have never in our lives heard of related to him. Not only that, but Mian Shabaz Shareef also followed suit, to inquire about his health. Are we mentally retarded that we cannot put two and two together? And this was not the first time the Shareef brothers have retreated from a precarious situation. When Saudi Arabia intervened and struck a deal with the Pakistani government to let go Nawaz Shareef off the capital punishment in the Musharraf-Nawaz trial, Mian Nawaz Shareef left for Saudi Arabia complete with his family, trunks and even servants, leaving behind his worthy leaders like Javed Hashmi and Saad Rafique to face imprisonment and torture

When the May 2, Abbotabad Raid took place, the APC was called in response. There Mian Nawaz Shareef said ‘Are we sure there is nothing up our sleeves…after all why is there such a hue and cry worldwide?’. It seemed as if he was trying to send a subliminal message to the foreign masters that he is ready to sniff around our armed forces and hence is the ‘right’ candidate for the next Presidency or Prime Ministership.

The PML-N members have also been making side-comments on T.V. shows which show that they are now even backing out of the principal stand that participation in the Afghan Jihad was for the sake of Islam. Perhaps they are making such comments because it will look good and promising on the PML-N resume to be printed to the foreign masters for they are ones who pull the strings prior to elections.

And PML-N members are also victimizing the one person, other than Jamat-e-Islami, who is capable of taking principal stands, that is Imran Khan. There accusations are weak, reactionary and immature. For example, one very old member of PML-N was sneering at Sir Imran Khan that he is making desperate moves to win the coming elections because he is now a ‘very old man’ and does not have much time left in politics. Look who is talking! Please tell them not to do so. Their child-like criticism is only strengthening him for it exposes the hollowness of PML-N and hence will not defer people from voting for him.

Last but not the least, it is in fact Mian Nawaz Shareef and not Pervaiz Musharraf who is the pioneer of abductions and handovers to America. He was the one who handed over Emal Kansi in the first place. Emal Kansi and Raymond Davis did something similar. So, did the Americans handover Raymond Davis to us or did they whisk him away right from under our nose?

The only credit to be given to Mian Nawaz Shareef currently is that he is refraining from defaming Imran Khan directly in his public rallies. That is very good ethics. On this point, I would request Imran Khan to do the same and focus on positive politics, rather than defaming Nawaz Shareef in public rallies. Imran Khan has enough agenda up his sleeves to win on its credit alone. Plus, he will Insha Allah bring out the crowd who have never bothered to cast their vote before.

PML-N is basically a rightist party and the rightist and religious people would have loved to give vote to it had PML-N delivered an Islamic, principled and brave performance in the last five years. Since they have not done so, let us please give a chance to PTI or Jamat-e-Islami.