The period of understanding between the ruling party Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) over the bail of the former’s Supremo seems to be over. This is the impression one gets from the comments of Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Information and Broadcasting Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan who was addressing journalists in Sialkot on Sunday.
Nevertheless, in a tit for tat move, the PML-N will move the Lahore High Court (LHC) should consider the government lobby for Nawaz’s deportation. But perhaps, this time, PML-N will be seen as the one as the instigator of the conflict. The medical board had already rejected a medical certificate sent by Nawaz when he was required to submit his medical report of any hospital in London. It is this failure of providing a medical report before the board formed on the Islamabad High Court’s (IHC) order that the government had declared him an absconder already.
Besides, the PML-N leader must realize that he cannot stay abroad forever. PML-N must think of a few things before making a move. First, Mr Nawaz Sharif’s inability to produce any reliable document attesting his serious health condition is making people believe that Mr Sharif is just an ordinary politician who can turn back on his words. Second, people, even some of his supporters, may also equate his absence with fleeing from the country. Such a perception will damage PML-N politics in the long run. Political acumen demands from Mr Sharif to come back for his party’s sake, if not for anything else.
As far as the government is concerned, perhaps, it is justified in asking for his return. If he is in no immediate medical danger and does not plan to have medical procedures done soon, there is no justification for his stay abroad. That was the implicit condition of his humanitarian bail.