All set for Nawaz Sharif’s homecoming today

Party convoys from different cities likely to reach Lahore by Saturday morning: Shehbaz, Maryam visit rally venue to review arrangements n PML-N Quaid to present economic road map aimed at alleviating inflation, steering the country towards the right path Minar-e-Pakistan rally.

LAHORE   -  In a significant turn of events, former Prime Minister and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Mian Nawaz Sharif is set to return to Pakistan to­day, marking a poten­tially transformative moment in the coun­try’s political landscape. 

The PML-N is opti­mistic about the enthu­siastic response Mian Nawaz Sharif is expect­ed to receive at the his­toric Minar-e-Pakistan ground where he is set to present an econom­ic road map aimed at al­leviating inflation and steering the country to­wards the right path. 

As of the time of this report, different cadres of the PML-N have been actively engaged in put­ting the finishing touch­es on the arrangements to welcome their leader who is widely regard­ed as the party’s ulti­mate hope for regaining power. As Mian Nawaz Sharif returns today, the PML-N is confront­ed with the formidable challenge of arranging a grand reception that would eventually set the tone for the party’s election campaign. The party aspires to host an impressive gather­ing of one million peo­ple at the historic venue to welcome their leader. 

Senior PML-N leaders including party president Mian Shehbaz Sharif and Vice-President Maryam Nawaz Sharif made a late Friday visit to Minar-e-Pakistan and addressed party workers who had travelled from other prov­inces to attend the event. Several party convoys have commenced their journey and are expected to reach Lahore Saturday morning. 

This homecoming, after an extended period of exile, is not without significant implications for Pakistan’s political dynamics, as it raises questions about the establishment’s role, potential deals, and the Pakistan Peoples Party’s (PPP) reserva­tions regarding the treatment accorded to Nawaz Sharif. Mian Nawaz Sharif’s return to Pakistan af­ter his departure in 2019 due to health issues and subsequent legal issues has garnered widespread attention, both within and outside the country. 

Nawaz Sharif’s return is expected to invigorate his party, the PML-N which has faced challeng­es in his long absence from the political scene. His presence may bolster the party’s position and ap­peal to its voter base. The PML-N believes that Mian Nawaz Sharif’s homecoming on October 21 is poised to reshape Pakistan’s political landscape. As a prominent leader with a significant following, his return has the potential to reinvigorate the par­ty and impact the balance of power in the country. 

Until recently, the Pakistani political landscape has been dominated by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-In­saf (PTI) led by ex-Prime Minister Imran Khan. Nawaz Sharif’s return could potentially breathe new life into the PML-N providing it with the much needed experienced political leader. 

Since the announcement of a date for Mian Nawaz Sharif’s return to the country, many have speculat­ed about the role of Pakistan’s powerful military es­tablishment in Nawaz Sharif’s homecoming. While the establishment has denied any involvement, ru­mors persist about behind-the-scenes negotiations and potential deals that could involve certain con­cessions or commitments for the future. The PPP, a significant political force in Pakistan, has ex­pressed reservations about the treatment accorded to Nawaz Sharif in his return. The PPP leaders have raised concerns about the perception that Nawaz Sharif is receiving more favorable treatment from the establishment compared to other political lead­ers. They argue that this could undermine the dem­ocratic process and lead to an uneven playing field. Furthermore, the PPP is apprehensive about the perceived bias of the caretaker administration, os­tensibly favouring the PML-N in various aspects. A stark example is the contrasting treatment of ongo­ing development projects in Punjab and the abrupt discontinuation of similar initiatives in Sindh. The PPP leaders contend that such disparities erode the credibility of both caretaker governments and cru­cial institutions such as the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP). The PPP’s perspective is that the ECP is postponing the announcement of the elec­tion schedule, linking it with the return of Mian Nawaz Sharif seemingly the singular reason for this delay. The PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto recently expressed his concerns, asserting that the ECP ap­peared to be postponing elections for the sake of one individual. The PPP’s reservations about the treatment of Nawaz Sharif and rumors of deals with the establishment only add further complex­ity to the unfolding situation. As the political sce­nario in Pakistan evolves, the nation watches with bated breath to see how these developments will influence the country’s democratic future.