Fe’reeha Idrees

Silence speaks, as news of another possible NRO are being circulated in the power corridors of Islamabad. Even though all stakeholders have clearly said officially that an NRO is neither demanded, nor is anyone willing to give one, the off the record conversation of some members of PML-N and PTI in parliament and other places negates this claim.

There seems to be some breakthrough in the fate of the Sharifs via backdoor diplomacy. A close aide to the prime minister said on the promise of anonymity that some “understanding has taken place”. And it seems like apparently PTI is on board.

“There was a general consensus that you cannot keep Nawaz Sharif alone in jail for a longer period of time. Even though his exit from jail is a result of High Court’s order, yet the consequent silence on the part of Nawaz Sharif and the mute twitter handle of Maryam Nawaz Sharif speaks volumes that there is something fishy,” the aide said.

Right before the elections, a Lahore-based senior member of PML-N had declared that backchannel talks were taking place which might lead to a thaw. “Why else he would return to Pakistan?” He had asked me.

In a recent meeting of prime minister with journalists, the question of a possible NRO to Nawaz Sharif was directed towards the prime minister. The prime minister mentioned Sharif family cases but at the same time he lamented the problems caused by weak prosecution in NAB cases in particular in white-collar crimes.

“You must have noticed that NAB was relatively more active right before the general election, but the speed has stalled since we came into power,” Prime Minister Imran Khan had said during that meeting.

However in his address to the nation on October 24, the prime minister didn’t mince his words in his announcement when he said, “Opposition is united only because they are scared of audit. They all want an NRO, General Musharraf gave an NRO to both PML-N and PPP and they want a similar NRO from us. My message is loud and clear...no one is getting an NRO”.

Why the prime minister had to give such loud message and who was he addressing when he said that? That’s a question that brings us to the dubious statement given by Shehbaz Sharif’s close aide Rana Mashhood a few days ago where he claimed things have been settled between establishment and Nawaz Sharif. PML-N and ISPR both denounced his statement but many stalwarts within the party whom I spoke to were more skeptical off the record, than they were on record.

“You must have wondered why I am not on TV shows these days,“ said an MNA of PML-N. “Many in the party are unhappy. First of all NAB is over attentive, why should I come on TV and get their attention diverted to me, secondly two of our MNAs who have been disqualified by the Supreme Court for their overzealousness are also now regretting their too bold stance. In the end, if Nawaz Sharif cuts a deal, where will they stand?” The MNA raised a very important question.

It’s not the first time that the Sharif family is being suspected of cutting a deal by their close friends and members. On December 10, 2000, the then Chief Executive of Pakistan, General Pervez Musharraf issued a pardon for Nawaz Sharif and allowed the immediate members of the deposed first family to travel to Saudi Arabia on a Saudi royal jet. The terms of the deal were unknown to all major party members. In an earlier interview with me the former Deputy Prime Minister and Punjab CM and now speaker assembly, Chaudry Pervez Elahi, who was at that time very close to the Sharif family had said, “The family was staying at guest room section in our home. They called us bhai, yet no one told me or anyone what the deal was and why and when it was done.”

Nawaz Shareef who decided to take a belligerent stance against the judiciary and the establishment, since his disqualification on July 28, 2017 had been consistent in his resilience and at times absolutely war mongering, in his policy against the state and institution since he was arrested from the airport along with his daughter Maryam Nawaz on July 13, 2018.

On Maryam Nawaz’s twitter handle, there has been a complete silence since July 24 this year. The last tweet was done a day before the election from jail where she says, “Vote ko izzat do, the hour of decision is here, come out and vote”. There is no denying that her tweets were noticed with raised eyebrows by certain quarters in particular.

Nawaz Sharif also has not been talking much during his NAB court appearances, while in the past he used to take full advantage of these opportunities for media statements. At one instance he replied, “The answer will be given by Marriyum Aurangzeb”. At another instance, the former prime minister flatly retorted, “I am not watching TV these days. I have not heard nor seen what’s going on”. The silence is deafening for many at the moment and raising speculation.

However, when I asked about an NRO from the Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry, he vehemently denied it, saying, “There is no possibility of an NRO and that is the real problem with them.”

 

 

Rumours of new NRO continue to circulate