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Speculations about Pak PM’s successor: Shahbaz seems to tread cautiously
[DAWN] The focus was on Punjab 1.) Little Orphan Annie's bodyguard 2.) A province of Pakistain ruled by one of the Sharif brothers 3.) A province of India. It is majority (60 percent) Sikh and Hindoo (37 percent), which means it has relatively few Moslem riots.... Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif ...Pak dynastic politician, brother of PM Nawaz Sharif, chief minister of Punjab... as he on Tuesday attended a ’very important’ meeting of the party stalwarts chaired by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif ... served two non-consecutive terms as prime minister, heads the Pakistain Moslem League (Nawaz). Noted for his spectacular corruption, the 1998 Pak nuclear test, border war with India, and for being tossed by General Musharraf... to discuss the situation arising out of the joint investigation team (JIT) report. Shahbaz, who seems to have escaped indictment in the JIT report, is a big Sharif missing from the diatribe against the family unleashed by the opponents and disapproving analysts in media. He is now being reinforced as an ’all-important player’ of the Sharif family in case the premier and his children get an adverse court decision in the Panama Papers case. "Shahbaz Sharif is playing his cards very carefully. He is standing by his brother in this hour of crisis and at the same time he has been in contact with those who matter," says a PML-N leader who would remain anonymous in the interest of his own politics. "There has been a lot of talk in the party about the possibility of Shahbaz replacing Nawaz in case the latter is disqualified. Who will then take charge of Punjab if Shahbaz is moved to the Centre. In fact, Shahbaz will never let Punjab slip out, even when he is destined for greater heights at the Centre. But of course he will have to do a lot of manoeuvering to secure and keep Punjab -- say under his son Hamza Shahbaz," he says. "But the big question is, does the PML-N leadership trust Shahbaz blindly and will it allow him to play a role in the Centre (in Nawaz’s absence) or choose someone else in the party (to replace the prime minister for remainder period till 2018 election should such a need arise) or will it go for any other option," he says. Unlike a bunch of close aides of the premier who according to one legal view risked contempt of court in challenging openly the establishment and judiciary in their outburst to defend Nawaz Sharif, Shahbaz has treaded a cautious path in his defence of Nawaz and his children since their offshore holdings revealed by the Panama Papers. Posted by: Fred 2017-07-13 |
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