ISLAMABAD: Taking pride in “always having good relations” with the military establishment, outgoing Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Saturday declared that his party would contest the upcoming elections on the vote ko izzat do (respect the vote) slogan.

Party supremo Nawaz Sharif launched the popular slogan after his ouster from office, following his conviction in the 2017 Panama Papers case.

During a breakfast meeting with senior journalists at the luxurious PM House, hours before the announcement of Senator Anwarul Haq Kakar as the head of the incoming caretaker set-up, the outgoing PM said his elder brother would be the party’s candidate for the prime minister’s slot.

He also claimed that there was no legal hitch blocking Nawaz Sharif from contesting the upcoming polls.

Shehbaz prides himself in ‘good ties with military’; claims no legal hitch preventing Nawaz from contesting polls

Flanked by former finance minister Ishaq Dar and ex-defence minister Khawaja Asif, Shehbaz Sharif gave detailed answers to journalists’ questions before vacating PM House for his successor.

Former information minister Marri­yum Aurangzeb conducted a question-answer session.

Establishment’s role

Most questions revolved around the increasing role of the establishment in governance, especially in the country’s financial matters. However, Mr Sharif did not shy away from admitting he had always been in the good books of the military.

Talking about the behind-the-scenes manoeuvrings during the PTI sit-in of 2014, he said that even the then-army chief Gen Raheel Sharif used to call him “Shehbaz Bhai.”

Retired Gen Jahangir Karamat was another army chief praised by the outgoing PM for his role in the development of Punjab in the 1990s, while he was the chief minister.

The outgoing PM also forcefully defended the army’s growing role in the economic realm. When a reporter referred to the composition of the recently-formed Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC) and asked if the finance ministry had been placed “under GHQ or the establishment,” Mr Sharif responded that the council was being headed by the prime minister and Army Chief Gen Asim Munir was only an ordinary member.

He said that like other institutions, the military had also contributed to the country’s development, something that he said must be acknowledged.

“It is said that I am very close to the establishment and I have responded to this [perception] many times… whether it is a hybrid system or whatever you call it, if it is for the elimination of hunger and for the betterment of people, then is it good or bad?” he asked, rhetorically.

“When did I not have an understanding with the establishment? I have been their blue-eyed boy for the past 30 years,” he said, adding that he and his party men were sent to jail when Imran Khan came to power.

However, the PML-N president clarified that good relations with the establishment did not bring him any benefit.

“Tell me when did I get any concession, despite having good relations with the establishment?”

Responding to a question about a recent statement, where he credited the recently-inaugurated Bhara Kahu bypass in Islamabad to the army chief’s efforts, the outgoing PM explained the bypass had been built by the National Logistics Cell (NLC), the army’s construction arm.

Mr Sharif said when he noticed slow progress on the project, he told the army chief that he wanted to see it completed before the end of his term in office, adding that it was after his call that the NLC worked day and night to finish the project.

Nawaz’s return

Mr Sharif said parliament had already amended the Elections Act restricting the disqualification period to five years. It is worth noting that the Supreme Court had disqualified Nawaz Sharif for life in the Panama Papers case.

He admitted that the party’s vote bank might have been affected due to the tough decisions taken by his government, but said he was proud that he had preferred state over politics.

But he did not give a clear reply when asked whether he would step up to serve the party or the establishment in the future set-up, if Nawaz Sharif faced any difficulties in returning to the country.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr Dar stated that Nawaz Sharif’s disqualification period had ended on July 27 and there was now no technical hitch holding him back from contesting elections.

Regarding a possible delay in elections after the approval of the digital census, Mr Sharif said PML-N wants to have elections as early as possible.

Mr Sharif said it was his constitutional duty to convene the meeting of the Council of Common Interests, adding they had two choices — either to reject the census or accept it.

Responding to criticism over hasty legislation and parliamentary approval for controversial laws such as the recent amendments to Official Secrets Act, he said it was necessary to provide protection to the armed forces and intelligence agencies who are busy fighting terrorism.

The outgoing PM termed price hikes as the biggest challenge his government had faced. He, however, dispelled the impression that the IMF was responsible for this inflation. Prices are soaring all over the world due to constant rise in oil prices, he said.

Published in Dawn, August 13th, 2023