We are at America's Mercy: Nawaz Sharif

Like all self-interest-based relationships, the state of Zardari-Nawaz relationship is fluid, but currently it is far from lukewarm.

Asif Zardari, the former president of Pakistan, and inheritor-chairperson of Pakistan Peoples Party, who considers himself a maestro when it comes to politics, still has one up on Nawaz Sharif, the three times former prime minister. Zardari’s master stroke, the 18th Amendment and rule over Sindh provides at least some growth to his offshore accounts.

Nawaz, in fact the Sharif family, who believe that they are a match and better, are presently in what can be described as no-man’s land, with their loss of control over Punjab. Unlike Zardari, they have no till to siphon off to further their offshore holdings.

Zardari feels that being stationed in Pakistan gives him a leg up when opportunity knocks, but the Sharifs hope that London is best in reaching out to grab power.

On the day that people were busy ushering the New Year, prime minister Imran Khan delivered, what to both Zardari and Sharifs is a backhanded move to undermine their aspirations.

On Saturday on January 1, New Year’s Day, Imran Khan led a dialogue hosted by the Rehmatul-lil-Alameen Authority, with an international group of eminent Muslim scholars online, where he reminded that many nations were destroyed when the powerful and weak segments were held to different standards of justice.

The scholars endorsed the prime minister’s observation that a society could not thrive and achieve prosperity without rule of law and justice, the basic principles which were practiced by Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him) and his companions in the State of Madinah.

Even the state-of-art security of the $5 million Lahore Bilawal House gifted to him by real estate tycoon Malik Riaz could not help him not to feel secure. Zardari judged that Imran Khan was creating consciousness about honesty and fair play, which was strictly antithetical to his and the Sharifs modus operandi.

Having puffed his way through a few cartons of cigarettes, Zardari finally decided to ring his off-and-on again nemesis and partner, Nawaz.

“Hello, my brother Nawaz, did you tune in to this Rehmatul-lil-Alameen dialogue that Imran conducted…”

“Oh, oh… it is my dear brother Asif. We haven’t talked for so long that it took me time to recognize your voice. You know I don’t watch English programs. My favorite is My Indian TV – a very good value for money to watch Bollywood’s best. As you mentioned, I will ask my sons Hasan and Hussain to get me an Urdu transcript.”

“Ah Bollywood! My brother Nawaz, you know I nearly broke into the industry. In Salgira, I was child actor alongside Waheed Murad and Shamim Ara…”

“Oh, my dearest Asif, lets leave it here. My acting career… stillborn…”

“Sad indeed. My dear Nawaz, you know we need to work together to get rid of this darkness. You know what Imran did at this dialogue… he is trying to create peoples’ consciousness about honesty and fair play…
“The Election Commission should be taking notice of such voter influencing!”

“Asif… of course! Seriously! You know I… I mean, our whole family are trying. Maryam even got a tape done of [former chief justice of Pakistan] Saqib Nisar to prove that he influenced the judgement against us… and to make it even stronger, upon expert advice, I made my friend Rana Shamim… whom I had appointed chief Judge of Supreme Appellate Court Gilgit-Baltistan... to make an affidavit that Saqib Nisar pressured him against me. Alas, all that came crashing down upon us and our helpers…”

“Nawaz, I don’t know what is next. You know, I don’t need consultations… and you know everyone agrees, aik Zardari sub pe bhari (Zardari single-handedly outwits all). So, in a speech, of course, without naming anyone, I said that I have been asked to help and share some formula for Pakistan. In response, I had told them that they should first send this… Imran government packing, only then I could talk to them. You know, Nawaz, did you too notice that these military guys are getting smarter. So, what response do I get… c’mon name the person who sought your help. It is nearly as bad as you got!”

The phone goes silent as Zardari could hear a slurping sound. Nawaz having fortified himself with a glass of lassi, continued, “Asif, who can forget how you and my late sister Benazir lobbied and President George Bush called Pervez Musharraf, and ordered him to give you the NRO and then step down from the army…”

“My brother, it is our dear Benazir who had her deep contacts in America… it was the blessing of her work… ah, not just us, but over 8000 people got their [crimes] written off too.”

“So, Asif, you need to alert Joe Biden to this miseducating disaster. And our resolve is: America we are at your mercy. We will do what you desire but give us the power!”