LAHORE  -  Feeling pulse of the moment, the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) seems to have decided to come all out in the field to try all options to defend the Sharif family in the Panama leaks case.

The Saturday’s address of Railways Minister Khwaja Saad Rafiq in this constituency had the undercurrent of a changed PML-N policy in the present situation when the SC-powered Joint Investigation Team (JIT) has entered the final phase of probe into the money laundering and money trail questions which the Supreme Court had set to ascertain legitimacy about the money spent on purchasing the Sharifs’ London flats.

Saad’s speech highlighted different aspects of the political, judicial and investigative issues currently relating to the Panama case. From the analytical point of view, what the minister said primarily aimed at exhorting the political opponent - PTI chief Imran Khan - to avoid dragging the hostility to the point of ‘no return’ as it was mutually harmful to their interest.

The PML-N stalwart raised finger at the JIT and the Supreme Court verdict of April 20 by expressing his reservations on both, and pleaded innocence of the Sharifs to convey a message to the party workers for girdling up their loin to meet any adverse situation in the time to come.

A deep study of the speech would lead to fact that the PML-N has smelled the Supreme Court verdict as not going in its favour so it felt it the high time to close their ranks and set on a planning to save Sharifs political future, the PML-N government and the Party itself. And now it was out to tar the damage to the PML-N government as damage to whole democratic system wherein not one but the whole lot of the politicians will be at a loss. He has also held Imran Khan responsible if the system derailed. The PTI on its side is not reconciling with what he said and is raising the slogan of breaking the status quo which it claims suits corrupt politicians who loot the national wealth after coming into power. After the proven record tampering of the Sharif concern by the SECP, the PTI has also announced to hold protest if the JIT working is tried to be hampered by any means. This also shows that party has put its foot down to go with the JIT and the SC.

Khwaja Saad did not direct his guns to the Pakistan People’s Party rather he identified this party also a victim of the military rules like the PML-N was at the hand of General (r) Musharraf, although PPP’s two top leaders Asif Ali Zardari and Syed Khursheed Shah the same day at different places grilled the PML-N and the Sharifs as “product of the Martial Law of Ziaul Haq” who also happened to be political mentor of Nawaz Sharif.

It was the first occasion that any PML-N leader, while paying ‘due respect’ to the Judiciary, openly spoke against the April 20 verdict of the Supreme Court and sought the proofs for calling Nawaz Sharif ‘godfather,’ or shunning the use of this term against his leader instantly. He felt offended of the terminology of ‘Sicilian mafia’ used by the apex court in Nihal Hashmi case.

He also re-agitated the JIT related matters in his speech despite the fact most of the things therein have been decided by the Supreme Court while one relating to release of Hussain Nawaz’s picture is being dealt with at the end of the JIT. From what he said smacks that the PML-N has begun to level the ground on the court verdict and the JIT in case of disqualification of the prime minister in the final account when two of the five members have already declared the same.

Another feature of Saad’s speech was his grumble that anti PML-N forces are once again active to oust this party from rule through unnatural manner. In relation to Panama case, he said, neither justice is being met to them nor their reservations on JIT addressed.

Experts sense this statement the worry in the PML-N quarters as the establishment or the agencies which have been traditionally blamed for manoeuvring against a civil government, are hardly in the picture to disturb the government while the Court or the JIT inquiry are working strictly abiding by the law and the constitutionality. They say the money trail matter is under scrutiny and no harm can come to the PM and others if the JIT and in turn the court, is satisfied with the bona fide proofs of the money trail. And before the final verdict shaping an ongoing matter into an issue, means sowing the seed for a bigger show in the time to come sensing an adverse decision, they add.

In the preamble of his speech, the Railways minister made it clear that what he is going to say is his personal view as politician and a worker. Khwaja Saad is indeed a senior leader of the party and his say commands weight in decision making. And what he says can hardly be deemed a deviation from the party decision and policy about which the party leadership has been quite careful over the years.

The JIT in the wrap-up phase has called for the appearance of four members of the Sharif family on successive days. Of them, three are kids of PM Nawaz Sharif. Hussain Nawaz will appear for sixth time and Hassan Nawaz the third time while Maryam Nawaz Sharif is making her first appearance. The most crucial appearance is of the last one as the law bars solitary appearance of a woman before an investigating team.

Maryam Nawaz Sharif, who is being tipped as future prime minister of the country, is expected to be confronted by the JIT on her status of being the alleged ‘beneficiary’. At the party level, the sources say, the JIT’s call to Maryam is not being taken in good taste. The Opposition side is also not fully giving its heart to the JIT call. As such, it may be possible that the JIT allows her to come accompanied by any of her family members or a lady lawyer.

As to repeated appearance of Hussain and Hassan, legal experts say, it necessitates when a contradictory statement relevant to them, wanted clarification or explanation.