HAPPY

LAST DAYS OF NAWAZ’S CRUMBLING EMPIRE

As D-Day Nears, Dirty Games

Being Played Blatantly,
Shamelessly, Without Fear

Shaheen Sehbai

I HAD decided not to write until this crippling Nawaz
regime finally moves out of the way for some sanity to
be restored but events have compelled me to break my
vow.
These events are so patently unethical that if all the
synonyms on Wikipedia, including immoral, amoral,
unprincipled, unscrupulous, dishonorable, dishonest,
wrong, deceitful, unconscionable, unfair, fraudulent,
underhanded, wicked, evil, sneaky, corrupt,
unprofessional, improper are collectively used, it would still not describe
the enormity of their sins.
It may be hard to even imagine people can fall so low, even to destroy
themselves.
The game plan of the outgoing cabal is no longer a secret.
It is based on some fundamental planks, no matter how repulsive and
nauseating they may be, like:
- We will stay in the seats of power until the last minute and pass all
such atrocious orders that may fly in everybody’s face and could be
thrown out by courts in a matter of hours or days. So What?
- We will destroy all records of our corruption even if we have to set it
on fire in open public view, despite warnings by intelligence agencies.
- We will keep all our cronies on top and key jobs, give them promotions
and allowances (in plain words bribes) even ignoring all others under
the law.
- We will force them to do everything, anything, even illegal and
immoral things, to protect and save us and push our narrative.
 - We will bring/install impotent caretakers and would not let them settle
down to take any decision that may hurt us.
- We will not let caretakers get even one day extra in office and
entangle them in so many matters, legal and administrative, so they
have no time left for anything else. Meaning we will keep running the
show for as long as we can until the polls.
- If Nawaz and family is convicted and sentenced, we will take them to
the jail in the same 40-BMW protocol processions, with personal cooks
and guards showering flowers on the cars, as they have done so far.
- We will use official, government, public funds to illegally and merrily
carry out our campaign of defiance for as long as we can, forcing the
caretakers and others to stay helpless and watch as sorry bystanders.
- We will go into the election campaign against the army, the judiciary
and everyone else portraying Nawaz Sharif as a revolutionary, may be
in jail, standing up against an authoritarian dictator or a system.
- We will not let our opponents to get the upper hand, which could
cause serious cracks in the PML-N and maintain the aura that we will
return to power.
There are many more such written and unwritten strategic decisions that
have been taken and implemented, allowing a fallen leader and his party to
keep himself politically alive, stay in power, use the state authority not to
run the matters of the State but to push its own vested political agenda.
The leash given to Nawaz was too long and too flexible, probably to
ensure that he does not get any petty excuse to claim he was victimized
and persecuted.
Notwithstanding that he has still done so, the dirt has not stuck. Now the
time is almost over.
To elaborate some of the points mentioned above, a few examples will
be needed.
- The latest fire in Pakistan Railways Lahore was officially and specifically
reported by intel agencies in middle of April to all concerned. As
reported all record implicating Khawaja Saad Rafiq was destroyed two
days back. That was part of the pattern for many months in Punjab and
the Centre, starting with the burning of all Raiwind record in the DC
office in the 90s. The cronies sitting on key spots, including NAB did
not blink an eye.
 - Again NAB Lahore helped clear an allegedly corrupt and controversial
political appointee as Ambassador to US, Ali Jahangir Siddiqui who has
reached Washington. It may be another matter if his appointment is
struck down and he is stuck jobless.
- Dozens of favorites in lower grades of services have been summarily
promoted to oblige them, hurting the rights of hundreds. That this may
also be struck down is not any cause for concern.
- To delay the caretakers coming into their posts, outgoing cabinet
decided to seek clearance from many agencies including NAB if they
were honest. How ironical that a bunch of looters and plunderers
wants honest men only after they leave. Obviously it is just a delaying
tactic as the date of the polls has now been announced so the lesser
time anyone gets, the more games the cronies in place will be able to
play.
More examples can be quoted but the key question is what are the
others doing about all this blatant rape of the system, clapped on happily
by insignificant elements in the media who keep writing the Great Nawaz
aka Che Guevara of the corrupt, is the best hope this country has, despite
all his acts of loot and plunder.
Imran Khan realizes that the caretakers will have a great and onerous task
at hand.
He knows that Nawaz has picked up a fight with the Establishment and
foolishly. So the Empire will have to strike back, whether aided or not by
PTI and the best chance will be through the caretakers.
So far the strategy of the Empire was to give Nawaz a long rope and to
pursue him using the available legal and administrative process. The army
and the judiciary absorbed a lot of criticism and heat when they were
attacked for showing unprecedented pro-Nawaz discrimination by allowing
Nawaz and Company concessions and protocols. Are you scared of taking
on a Punjabi, was the regular taunt hurled at them.
But what after the long rope ends. Reports say lists of dozens of crony
bureaucrats has been prepared and many pending cases like Model Town,
Raiwind Road, NAB calling Shahbaz Sharif and his son in Ashiana scam, after
they are deposed, Khawaja Saad Rafiq getting the rub, Fawad Hasan Fawad
and his accomplices grilled etc, will move quickly.
Imran Khan transformed this wish into a demand on Sunday to put all key
baboos on the ECL.
 Naturally all this corrective work will have to be done by the caretakers.
And what happens if a spineless ex-bureaucrat or a diplomat linked to
political families is named PM. He will keep his hands clean by staying
away. Who will fight the Empire’s battle then? The PML-N strategy will
have succeeded.
But what if a real man with guts gets into the PM’s office. I have heard the
name of a dark horse but who knows. Imran Khan knows the most critical
job of the Caretaker PM would be to push the accountability agenda
ruthlessly. That would serve the Empire and Imran’s own battle against
Nawaz.
Imran will win half his battle if the caretakers catch some big thieves and
force them to spit out the stolen billions. If that does not happen or the
process is not started, the entire Nawaz narrative that no one can touch
him or any Punjabi, will prevail.
All those who have left him will be sorry.
The Empire will be in a state of panic.
No one should miscalculate what Nawaz will do to the generals and the
judges and the media gurus, if he wins ala Erdogan of Turkey.
That is what Nawaz believes in and thinks his time has come.
Sadly he is simply mistaken. Pakistan is not Turkey, Nawaz is no Erdogan
and Pakistan Army is not out to grab power or hated by the people.
The obvious fact is it will not allow any Erdogan, just for the sake of its
own survival and the survival of the country.