IT could well be that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s trip to London for the coronation of King Charles III may result in the situation becoming clearer vis-à-vis the return of PML-N leader Nawaz Sharif. Indeed, it seems quite odd that so far there have been few real indications, despite the wishes of PML-N leaders, that the senior Sharif will come back at a time of mounting national turmoil to guide his party. Like many other Pakistani leaders before him, he prefers, instead, to engage in remote-controlled politics and make decisions regarding PML-N’s political strategy abroad. The former prime minister, who has been in London since 2019, is in his fourth year of self-imposed exile. His public position is that he is unable to return to Pakistan owing to health issues, yet he recently spent more than two weeks in Saudi Arabia. His party ought to explain how these medical issues seemingly disappear when he is sojourning in Europe, or spending time with family in Saudi Arabia. Clearly, ‘health issues’ are not holding Mr Sharif back; he faces a slew of cases, and faces jail time if he returns, for his bail and permission to leave the country on health grounds were sought at a time when he was serving his sentence. Worryingly for the PML-N, neither Shehbaz Sharif nor Maryam Nawaz have been able to give the party the firm direction that Mr Sharif was able to do, or to heal rifts within.

The question for Mr Sharif is very simple: if he does not return now, when his brother is prime minister and his party in power, when will he do so? Is Mr Sharif, who has been jailed previously in politically motivated cases, afraid of jail? Why does he continue to avoid Pakistan, when his presence in the country may lessen the worries of his party? Elections are imminent, and will certainly take place in October if not earlier, yet Mr Sharif chooses to be absent from the political scene. It is bewildering that, even at a time when the incumbent army chief is perceived to be someone of his choice, Mr Sharif is unable to summon the courage to come back. Returning to Pakistan and resolutely facing the cases against him would have shown political courage; staying away will paint quite the opposite picture.

Published in Dawn, May 1st, 2023