WITH reference to the graph titled, “The rise and fall of Nawaz Sharif “depicting Mr Nawaz Sharif’s political journey (July 7): there is one major omission and one major factual error.

The graph states that the gentleman joined “PML-N” in 1976. There was no “PML-N” in existence in 1976. Soon after General Zia ul Haq dismissed Mohammad Khan Junejo as prime minister in May 1988, Mr Sharif and colleagues who had been part of the Zia-Junejo regime abandoned Mr Junejo, created disorder at a PML meeting held at Islamabad Hotel in June 1988 and declared their own faction to be the true PML — just as every other faction claims to be.

Prior to June 1988, about eight years earlier, Mr Sharif quit the Tehreek-i-Istiqlal in about 1979-80 and soon became finance minister in the government in Punjab, in which he served up to May 1988, i.e. a period of about eight years. He then led the ISI-sponsored IJI alliance to curb the PPP in the November 1988 polls, subsequently becoming Chief Minister of Punjab (December 1988-August 1990).

None of these facts are part of the graph which makes a sublime giant leap from 1974 to 1990 overlooking 16 crucial years. The election of Mr Sharif in 1990 as prime minister is also listed without comment — whereas it has been long-known that the October 1990 polls were pre-rigged with measures such as permitting caretaker ministers to become (eventually successful) candidates in the polls .

Readers expect Dawn to ensure the highest standards of accuracy.

A citizen
Karachi

Published in Dawn, July 10th, 2018