Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif suddenly arrived at Chaudhry Nisar’s residence, and it later emerged that he had invited Chaudhry Nisar to rejoin PML-N. In response, Chaudhry Nisar stated that he would reply after consulting his associates. No one knows who these “associates” are, but everyone is equally unaware of what exactly happened that compelled the Prime Minister to personally visit him. Certainly, approval for this meeting must have been taken from party leader Nawaz Sharif beforehand, or Shehbaz Sharif may have gone at the behest of his elder brother.
As for Nawaz Sharif, he himself and the entire PML-N have remained detached from politics for a long time, and their detachment has reached the level of outright disinterest. In such a scenario, even if Chaudhry Nisar does return, what difference will it make? Chaudhry Nisar is not a mass leader; his only notable feature was his special ties with the establishment. Time has proven that those circumstances no longer exist. It is not that he has fallen to the level of Sheikh Rasheed, but it is also true that even if he wishes, he cannot play any effective role in this regard while Shehbaz Sharif himself is present.
Nawaz Sharif, by making his brother the Prime Minister and his daughter the Chief Minister, has already made a compromise that leaves no room for further appeasing the establishment. If there are any misunderstandings or grievances in this matter, whatever Shehbaz Sharif can do, Chaudhry Nisar cannot even do a fraction of that. When PML-N expelled Chaudhry Nisar, it was not due to a single incident but an entire series of events. In return, Chaudhry Nisar had also left no stone unturned in retaliation. It was his mountainous ego and the later change in circumstances that held him back; otherwise, he would have joined PTI long ago.
As for party organization and public engagement, Shehbaz Sharif has always completely avoided this and does not even feel remorseful about it. Now, the same complaints are being raised about Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz. Not only party workers but even assembly members and ministers are frequently heard complaining. Those in Punjab who need to contact the bureaucracy for routine matters know well how the government machinery is making the lives of citizens miserable. To some extent, this gives the impression of mere theatrics, but visibly, ministers keep lamenting their lack of authority, while secretaries of various departments continue to play games with ministers and petitioners alike. Complaints of corruption have become widespread.
On the other hand, the non-political figures within the Punjab government, through their sycophantic and childish advice, are not only causing embarrassment for the ruling personalities but also harming their public popularity. For example, the decision to rename the Institute of Cardiology which was announced by Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz herself during her address to the Punjab Assembly had to be retracted following intense public backlash, clearly indicating irresponsible governance.
Putting up personal and family portraits everywhere is an undesirable act. No one is reminding the government of the well-known, proven lesson that excessive publicity often backfires and spreads a negative perception. At the federal level, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, due to the “Hybrid Plus” system, is increasingly becoming limited to a ceremonial role. In such a situation, if the goal is to revive the party, it would be wiser to bring forward individuals who maintain connections with the public.
Before considering the return of Chaudhry Nisar, it would have made more sense to reach out to Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and Miftah Ismail. After Nawaz Sharif’s disqualification, Shahid Khaqan Abbasi performed his duties with exceptional diligence as Prime Minister during a period of intense pressure. Following the success of the no-confidence motion against Imran Khan, Miftah, as Finance Minister in Shehbaz Sharif’s government, bore every criticism on his shoulders to prevent the country from defaulting, which is why Shehbaz Sharif continued to praise him even afterward. Moreover, their stance against the party leadership has never been as rigid as Chaudhry Nisar’s.
It is also true that political parties, especially those that have performed well during their tenures, never run out of opportunities to regain their popularity, provided they adopt a rational, practical approach to achieve that goal. If they do not intend to take such steps, then it does not matter who they bring back into the party nothing meaningful will be achieved.
Now, a brief mention of international affairs: There are still conflicting reports regarding the complete destruction of Iran’s nuclear facilities in the recent American attack. True to form, Trump, in the same breath, declares that he wants negotiations with Iran while simultaneously threatening that if Iran attempts uranium enrichment, it will be bombed. Iranian officials have stated that if negotiations are to be held, there must first be a guarantee that the US will not attack during the talks. Iran’s demand is 100% correct, fully aligned with diplomatic norms and international law, but the reality today is that no one can guarantee Trump’s commitments.
We should pray for peace. Meanwhile, although Trump has announced that Israel has agreed to a sixty-day ceasefire in Gaza, it should be noted that even during the war with Iran, Israel’s heinous genocide of Palestinians has continued with the same intensity and is still ongoing. Another alarming report is that 13 American and German cargo aircraft loaded with weapons have arrived in Tel Aviv. Who can say what will happen next?