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Nawaz, Zardari meet today to erase feeling of betrayal
By Shaheen Sehbai
Saturday, November 08, 2008
RAIWIND, Lahore: There is a great sense of betrayal and helplessness in this sprawling private compound of the Sharif brothers but the top two men who matter here are determined not to create any obstacles for the Asif Ali Zardari-led regime in Islamabad because they believe any confrontation would bring down the entire political system.
But when Mian Nawaz Sharif meets President Zardari at dinner on Saturday night, many issues will be raised in a candid and frank way, but in a spirit of positive assertiveness and not to let any misunderstandings or misgivings create a wedge that could dent their cooperation in the larger interest of the democratic set-up.
A visit to this heavily protected and fortified complex on Friday revealed that telephonic contacts between President Zardari and Mian Nawaz Sharif are regular and frequent, so much so that sometimes they speak to each other daily or on every alternate day. But they have not met for weeks, not after the Sharifs formally congratulated Zardari on his election as the President of Pakistan. Their last meeting to discuss political issues was on August 22, shortly after General Pervez Musharraf had resigned and that was to hammer out an agreed mechanism to restore the deposed judges. That meeting, however, could not produce a consensus. But despite their apparent distance, Nawaz Sharif and President Zardari have remained in constant touch.
For instance, before going to Saudi Arabia, President Zardari called Sharif, who was then in Dubai. I am in your city, Sharif told him, in a rare show of humour. Well then I am going to your city, Madina, Zardari, who is known for his over-blown sense of humour (example: the Sarah Palin episode) retorted.
As soon as he returned from Saudi Arabia, Zardari again called the PML-N chief and invited him for dinner at the presidency on Saturday night and Sharif was happy to oblige. The sarcastic exchange of witty remarks between the two leaders is not without a reason or a hovering shadow of doubt and suspicions on their relations.
When Nawaz Sharif said I am in your city, his obvious reference was to the fact that President Zardari was travelling abroad more than he should be focussing on critical domestic issues. Calling Dubai his city was an oblique taunt that being the president of Pakistan, he should make this country as his real and only home.
But when Zardari hit back with the remark that he was going to your city, the obvious inference was that the Saudis liked the Sharifs more than any one else and, in a very far fetched way, the Sharifs were also a stumbling block in the quick availability of the Saudi deferred oil facility, something vitally important for Pakistan these days.
The Sharifs are genuinely hurt by the indirect charges and references made by some PPP leaders that they were using their influence on the Saudis not to bail out Pakistan. How can anyone imagine that the Sharif family would think of such a thing. What would the Saudis think about us if we did that except that we play politics at the cost of our country, a Sharif family member said.
Despite these well meaning taunts, there is a serious feeling in Raiwind that Zardari has not tried to use the good influence of the Sharifs in the interest of the country, though they were always prepared to extend a very cooperative and helping hand, if seriously, sincerely and genuinely asked by the president.
There appears to be some communication gap between the two on this one particular issue and when the two leaders meet on Saturday it is likely to be discussed and clarified. The Sharif camp thinks that though Zardari had initially asked Mian Nawaz Sharif to accompany him to Jeddah on his first visit to ask for Saudi help, when the visit actually took place, there was no attempt to invite the elder Sharif.
In fact, it was revealed in Raiwind that Mian Nawaz Sharifs name was actually on the official list of those who would accompany the president and even the Saudi ambassador was aware of it and asked the Punjab chief minister about it. But the Sharifs had not been officially invited by the presidency and expressed their inability to confirm whether the PML-N chief would be a part of the official delegation. It could have been a case of inexperience and mismanagement, the Raiwind leaders explain but they are still not sure what happened.
Likewise, Mian Nawaz Sharif was also expecting calls from Zardari on his US and China visits as he was said to believe that a joint delegation of Pakistani politicians would have created a huge impact and boosted confidence in foreign capitals in the new Pakistani democratic set-up. But again he was disappointed.
The minor irritations being caused by uncalled for interference and the aggressive tone of the Punjab governor against the PML-N and its provincial government are issues which Raiwind is ready to forget and forgive in the larger interest of political stability.
But the overriding fear is that the entire political system was being discredited by the way the Islamabad government was being run through a system which one Raiwind resident said was akin to a super presidential system, even stronger than the one the country faced during General Pervez Musharraf.
We have worked for and voted for a parliamentary set-up but Zardari has in his exuberance turned it into a presidential system with almost a non-existent prime minister. This will be music to the ears of forces which always keep waiting in the wings to strike as they find politicians failing in doing their job as it should be done, a PML-N leader present in Raiwind said.
There is complete consensus in Raiwind that the Pakistani Army generals are watching the political set-up but they are too busy in the war on terror to strike at the system any time soon.
This available window of opportunity must be used to consolidate the democratic system and institutions must be strengthened instead of running the government as a one-man operation. This window of opportunity will figure in Nawaz-Zardari talks on Saturday as both leaders are supposed to understand that this window may not remain open for long.
By Shaheen Sehbai
Saturday, November 08, 2008
RAIWIND, Lahore: There is a great sense of betrayal and helplessness in this sprawling private compound of the Sharif brothers but the top two men who matter here are determined not to create any obstacles for the Asif Ali Zardari-led regime in Islamabad because they believe any confrontation would bring down the entire political system.
But when Mian Nawaz Sharif meets President Zardari at dinner on Saturday night, many issues will be raised in a candid and frank way, but in a spirit of positive assertiveness and not to let any misunderstandings or misgivings create a wedge that could dent their cooperation in the larger interest of the democratic set-up.
A visit to this heavily protected and fortified complex on Friday revealed that telephonic contacts between President Zardari and Mian Nawaz Sharif are regular and frequent, so much so that sometimes they speak to each other daily or on every alternate day. But they have not met for weeks, not after the Sharifs formally congratulated Zardari on his election as the President of Pakistan. Their last meeting to discuss political issues was on August 22, shortly after General Pervez Musharraf had resigned and that was to hammer out an agreed mechanism to restore the deposed judges. That meeting, however, could not produce a consensus. But despite their apparent distance, Nawaz Sharif and President Zardari have remained in constant touch.
For instance, before going to Saudi Arabia, President Zardari called Sharif, who was then in Dubai. I am in your city, Sharif told him, in a rare show of humour. Well then I am going to your city, Madina, Zardari, who is known for his over-blown sense of humour (example: the Sarah Palin episode) retorted.
As soon as he returned from Saudi Arabia, Zardari again called the PML-N chief and invited him for dinner at the presidency on Saturday night and Sharif was happy to oblige. The sarcastic exchange of witty remarks between the two leaders is not without a reason or a hovering shadow of doubt and suspicions on their relations.
When Nawaz Sharif said I am in your city, his obvious reference was to the fact that President Zardari was travelling abroad more than he should be focussing on critical domestic issues. Calling Dubai his city was an oblique taunt that being the president of Pakistan, he should make this country as his real and only home.
But when Zardari hit back with the remark that he was going to your city, the obvious inference was that the Saudis liked the Sharifs more than any one else and, in a very far fetched way, the Sharifs were also a stumbling block in the quick availability of the Saudi deferred oil facility, something vitally important for Pakistan these days.
The Sharifs are genuinely hurt by the indirect charges and references made by some PPP leaders that they were using their influence on the Saudis not to bail out Pakistan. How can anyone imagine that the Sharif family would think of such a thing. What would the Saudis think about us if we did that except that we play politics at the cost of our country, a Sharif family member said.
Despite these well meaning taunts, there is a serious feeling in Raiwind that Zardari has not tried to use the good influence of the Sharifs in the interest of the country, though they were always prepared to extend a very cooperative and helping hand, if seriously, sincerely and genuinely asked by the president.
There appears to be some communication gap between the two on this one particular issue and when the two leaders meet on Saturday it is likely to be discussed and clarified. The Sharif camp thinks that though Zardari had initially asked Mian Nawaz Sharif to accompany him to Jeddah on his first visit to ask for Saudi help, when the visit actually took place, there was no attempt to invite the elder Sharif.
In fact, it was revealed in Raiwind that Mian Nawaz Sharifs name was actually on the official list of those who would accompany the president and even the Saudi ambassador was aware of it and asked the Punjab chief minister about it. But the Sharifs had not been officially invited by the presidency and expressed their inability to confirm whether the PML-N chief would be a part of the official delegation. It could have been a case of inexperience and mismanagement, the Raiwind leaders explain but they are still not sure what happened.
Likewise, Mian Nawaz Sharif was also expecting calls from Zardari on his US and China visits as he was said to believe that a joint delegation of Pakistani politicians would have created a huge impact and boosted confidence in foreign capitals in the new Pakistani democratic set-up. But again he was disappointed.
The minor irritations being caused by uncalled for interference and the aggressive tone of the Punjab governor against the PML-N and its provincial government are issues which Raiwind is ready to forget and forgive in the larger interest of political stability.
But the overriding fear is that the entire political system was being discredited by the way the Islamabad government was being run through a system which one Raiwind resident said was akin to a super presidential system, even stronger than the one the country faced during General Pervez Musharraf.
We have worked for and voted for a parliamentary set-up but Zardari has in his exuberance turned it into a presidential system with almost a non-existent prime minister. This will be music to the ears of forces which always keep waiting in the wings to strike as they find politicians failing in doing their job as it should be done, a PML-N leader present in Raiwind said.
There is complete consensus in Raiwind that the Pakistani Army generals are watching the political set-up but they are too busy in the war on terror to strike at the system any time soon.
This available window of opportunity must be used to consolidate the democratic system and institutions must be strengthened instead of running the government as a one-man operation. This window of opportunity will figure in Nawaz-Zardari talks on Saturday as both leaders are supposed to understand that this window may not remain open for long.
