Shahbaz Sharif’s arrest was always on the cards. There were only four questions. Why? When? On what pretext? What next?
Not for nothing has the Miltablishment gone the whole hog to engineer state and society in its own image by getting Imran Khan elected as proxy prime minister and returning proxy PTI governments in three provinces. Why should it now let the PMLN and/or PPP singly or jointly scupper its puppet regimes before they have delivered on its grand proxy plan? In fact, the only way to achieve its puppet proxy plan (PPP) was, first, by arresting Nawaz Sharif and Mariam so that they couldn’t contest the elections and rally the faithful; second, by rigging the elections and herding the Independents into the PTI camp so that it could form governments; third, by hanging the Sword of Damocles (corruption cases) over the heads of the Sharifs and Zardaris so that they wouldn’t dare join hands to thwart and destabilize the proxy regimes in Punjab and Islamabad.
When Nawaz and Mariam couldn’t be hung out to dry on the twig of Panamagate, an “Iqama” and a “callibri font” were conveniently dug up to do the needful. In the case of Shahbaz Sharif, the Ashiana Housing Scheme seemed a fruitful pretext. Accordingly, DG LDA Ahad Cheema and PSPM Fawad Hasan Fawad were rounded up months ago, thrown into the dungeons and fake news of “ready approvers” was subsequently floated to create an appropriate backdrop for nabbing Shahbaz Sharif.
The best time was on the eve of the bye-elections when reports surfaced of some sort of PPP/PMLN alliance in the offing. Sensing considerable disquiet among many PTI MPAs, especially those independents and “electables” who had jumped ship, over the Miltablishment’s plan to empower local bodies at the expense of the MPAs (the old formula), the PMLN nudged Rana Mashood to publicly signal some sort of soft opening with the Miltablishment in order to tilt the electoral scales in its favour. This provoked the ubiquitous Spokesman to angrily call Rana Mashood “irresponsible” and his statement “baseless and regrettable”. But that wasn’t sufficient. Shahbaz Sharif was duly arrested to drive the point home: don’t mess with us, we will brook no meddling to destabilize our grand plan of ruling Pakistan via proxies. Proxies for external affairs are now being vigourously supplemented by proxies for internal affairs.
The Ashiana-i-Iqbal Housing Case, as reputable independent media has pointed out, is being touted by NAB as “corruption of Rs 14 billion through an illegal award of the construction contract to an ineligible contractor” by the Punjab government of ex-CM Shahbaz Sharif. But this wasn’t a works and procurement contract that would have required public money for construction of the apartments. On the contrary, it was a public-private venture in which the private developer was expected to use his own funds for the work in hand. Thus, even after the first award was cancelled and the second contract never materialized – so that the project never went ahead and no public money was ever involved at any stage – NAB claims an “opportunity cost” of Rs 15 billion lost, which would be incurred if the project were to be contracted today. This is a most novel “corruption” allegation, more than at par with the Iqama and Callibri Font cases!
Now Salman Shahbaz has been ordered to appear before NAB and answer why his lifestyle is not compatible with his “known sources of income”. This must rank as the most extraordinary accusation even in the annals of NAB. A wealthy man is being asked to explain his lifestyle. By this yardstick, anyone can be picked up and slapped with similar charges. Who’s next? Hamza Shahbaz, who is holding the party fort and thundering against the excesses of NAB?
Nawaz Sharif has rallied the party round to counter the Miltablishment’s attempt to decimate it. But, himself hounded from pillar to post, he seems to be woefully short of ideas. It is too early in the game, and very unsafe, to start protesting on the streets. Better to focus on the elections and make sure that the media is alive to the shenanigans that may be expected before, during and after the by-elections.
Much the same may be said of Asif Zardari. The multi-billion money laundering scam via fake bank accounts in the names of retainers, peasants, drivers, gardeners, chowkidars, etc., is meaty and messy. Any attempt by the PPP to get cosy with the PML will land Mr Zardari and his worthy sister in the NAB slammer too.
So, has the Miltablishment got everything stitched up nicely? On the face of it, yes. But the law of probability is not on its side. Proxies have a habit of turning on their creators, sooner or later. That is what happened with ZA Bhutto, Mohammad Khan Junejo and Nawaz Sharif. We, the people, will just have to wait for the wheel of politics to be rediscovered.
Not for nothing has the Miltablishment gone the whole hog to engineer state and society in its own image by getting Imran Khan elected as proxy prime minister and returning proxy PTI governments in three provinces. Why should it now let the PMLN and/or PPP singly or jointly scupper its puppet regimes before they have delivered on its grand proxy plan? In fact, the only way to achieve its puppet proxy plan (PPP) was, first, by arresting Nawaz Sharif and Mariam so that they couldn’t contest the elections and rally the faithful; second, by rigging the elections and herding the Independents into the PTI camp so that it could form governments; third, by hanging the Sword of Damocles (corruption cases) over the heads of the Sharifs and Zardaris so that they wouldn’t dare join hands to thwart and destabilize the proxy regimes in Punjab and Islamabad.
When Nawaz and Mariam couldn’t be hung out to dry on the twig of Panamagate, an “Iqama” and a “callibri font” were conveniently dug up to do the needful. In the case of Shahbaz Sharif, the Ashiana Housing Scheme seemed a fruitful pretext. Accordingly, DG LDA Ahad Cheema and PSPM Fawad Hasan Fawad were rounded up months ago, thrown into the dungeons and fake news of “ready approvers” was subsequently floated to create an appropriate backdrop for nabbing Shahbaz Sharif.
The best time was on the eve of the bye-elections when reports surfaced of some sort of PPP/PMLN alliance in the offing. Sensing considerable disquiet among many PTI MPAs, especially those independents and “electables” who had jumped ship, over the Miltablishment’s plan to empower local bodies at the expense of the MPAs (the old formula), the PMLN nudged Rana Mashood to publicly signal some sort of soft opening with the Miltablishment in order to tilt the electoral scales in its favour. This provoked the ubiquitous Spokesman to angrily call Rana Mashood “irresponsible” and his statement “baseless and regrettable”. But that wasn’t sufficient. Shahbaz Sharif was duly arrested to drive the point home: don’t mess with us, we will brook no meddling to destabilize our grand plan of ruling Pakistan via proxies. Proxies for external affairs are now being vigourously supplemented by proxies for internal affairs.
The Ashiana-i-Iqbal Housing Case, as reputable independent media has pointed out, is being touted by NAB as “corruption of Rs 14 billion through an illegal award of the construction contract to an ineligible contractor” by the Punjab government of ex-CM Shahbaz Sharif. But this wasn’t a works and procurement contract that would have required public money for construction of the apartments. On the contrary, it was a public-private venture in which the private developer was expected to use his own funds for the work in hand. Thus, even after the first award was cancelled and the second contract never materialized – so that the project never went ahead and no public money was ever involved at any stage – NAB claims an “opportunity cost” of Rs 15 billion lost, which would be incurred if the project were to be contracted today. This is a most novel “corruption” allegation, more than at par with the Iqama and Callibri Font cases!
Now Salman Shahbaz has been ordered to appear before NAB and answer why his lifestyle is not compatible with his “known sources of income”. This must rank as the most extraordinary accusation even in the annals of NAB. A wealthy man is being asked to explain his lifestyle. By this yardstick, anyone can be picked up and slapped with similar charges. Who’s next? Hamza Shahbaz, who is holding the party fort and thundering against the excesses of NAB?
Nawaz Sharif has rallied the party round to counter the Miltablishment’s attempt to decimate it. But, himself hounded from pillar to post, he seems to be woefully short of ideas. It is too early in the game, and very unsafe, to start protesting on the streets. Better to focus on the elections and make sure that the media is alive to the shenanigans that may be expected before, during and after the by-elections.
Much the same may be said of Asif Zardari. The multi-billion money laundering scam via fake bank accounts in the names of retainers, peasants, drivers, gardeners, chowkidars, etc., is meaty and messy. Any attempt by the PPP to get cosy with the PML will land Mr Zardari and his worthy sister in the NAB slammer too.
So, has the Miltablishment got everything stitched up nicely? On the face of it, yes. But the law of probability is not on its side. Proxies have a habit of turning on their creators, sooner or later. That is what happened with ZA Bhutto, Mohammad Khan Junejo and Nawaz Sharif. We, the people, will just have to wait for the wheel of politics to be rediscovered.