Dynastic politics in the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) gained visible currency in 2011, proving to be a chink in the Sharifs’ armour, as ominous fallouts are surfacing in the form of desertions from party.
The recent political christening of Maryam Nawaz, the older daughter of PML-N President Nawaz Sharif and lobbying for Hamza Shahbaz, the son of Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif, for a key slot in the party this year are steps to further family politics in the PML-N, the second largest political party in the country.
The likely introduction of Hassan Nawaz, son of Nawaz Sharif, and Suleman Shahbaz, the younger son of Shahbaz Sharif, in politics also gathered buzz in 2011. Though no practical move came to the limelight to this effect, insiders in the PML-N dropped strong hints that the entry of the Sharifs’ children into the party was imminent.
Nawaz Sharif spared no chance to promote a democratic culture in political parties, but scoffed at every such move in his own party. Consequently, the party is also suffering a longer delay in the completion of intra-party elections to adjust family members of the Sharifs at attractive mantles.
Veteran PML-N leader Javed Hashmi, who recently parted ways with the party and joined the Imran Khan-led Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI), was a strong critic of dynastic politics in the party and always came down hard on the Sharifs for bringing ‘political heirs’ into the PML-N. He once blasted the Sharifs for preferring their children to senior party leaders. In the face of the growing culture of nepotism in the party, the Niazi brothers (Inamullah Niazi and Najeebullah Niazi) also abandoned the Sharifs’ ship.
Naeem Mir, a former provincial information secretary of the PML-N, central general secretary of All-Pakistan Anjuman Tajran and former secretary of Mall Road Traders’ Association, resented the PML-N leadership and the scion of Shahbaz Sharif. “I quit the party on the humiliating attitude of Hamza Shahbaz,” Mir told the media. Sobbing, Mir said he gave 17 years of his life to the party but Hamza mistreated him like a junior. He advised Hamza to quit politics if he wished to keep Nawaz Sharif’s party alive in the provincial capital.
The year also witnessed the manifestation of nepotism when Ishaq Dar, a close relative of Nawaz Sharif, was nominated by the PML-N for the vacant post of Senate opposition leader, preferring him over many senior senators in the party. The move prompted deep unrest among influential party groups, who believed the Sharifs wanted to keep all major seats within the family to promote the politics of dynasty.
Party big-shots squabbled that Raja Zafarul Haq, Mushahid Ullah Khan and Syed Zafar Ali Shah were the potential candidates but Dar was named instead.
A senior PML-N leader told Pakistan Today that nobody could challenge Nawaz’s decision but it was causing uneasiness that could soon explode into open rebellion, leading to the party’s disintegration sooner or later.
He said Dar was the most “blessed” person in the party because of his family ties with the Sharifs. “He is parliamentary leader of the Senate from 2006 to 2012. He worked as chairman of the Senate Standing Committee on Industries and Production. He also worked as deputy chairman of the Implementation Commission, but resigned on April 20, 2011,” he added.
The PML-N stalwart said Dar was just a chartered accountant and looked after the finances of the Sharifs. In comparison to senior leaders, Dar’s political acumen was average but he was given preference in every matter, he added. “Family politics do not stop with this. Almost all influential slots are in the hands of the Sharif family,” he added.
“Shahbaz Sharif remained the party president for so long. Shahbaz was always crowned chief minister of Punjab as well. Capt (r) Safdar, son-in-law of Nawaz Sharif, is also working as chief organiser [of the party’s] youth wing,” he said.
He said National Assembly Member (MNA) Hamza Shahbaz, son of Shahbaz Sharif, had assumed the charge of Lahore coordinator for the party. “He is also responsible for the affairs of Chief Minister’s Secretariat as the party considers him the successor to Nawaz Sharif. He goes through the official files and has authority to approve or deny the works requested by even senior party leaders,” the PML-N leader said.
Meanwhile, MNA Abid Sher Ali, whose mother was a first cousin to Nawaz, was chairman of the Standing Committee on Education and a member of the Standing Committee on Privatisation and Investment, Standing Committee on Water and Power and Standing Committee on Youth Affairs.
“MNA Bilal Yaseen, another close relative of Begum Kalsoom Nawaz, worked as chairman of the Water and Sanitation Authority. Provincial Assembly Member (MPA) Mohsin Latif, who has family terms with the Sharifs, worked as chairman of the Task Force on Parks and Horticulture. Sohail Zia Butt, whose mother is first cousin to Nawaz, has great say in the party,” he added. His son, Umer Sohail Zia Butt, is an MPA and recently, being head of the LDA staff union, he won the referendum.
Political experts were of the view that the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), PML-Quaid, Awami National Party (ANP) and the PML-N were all examples of dynastic leadership. “The PML-Q is run by the Chaudhry brothers; the PPP was led by the Bhuttos and now Bhutto-Zardaris; the ANP is run by Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan’s family while the PML-N is dominated by the Sharif family. It implies that our politicians have made their parties personal fiefdoms by passing on party leadership as an inheritance to their successors,” they said.
However, Punjab Law Minister Rana Sanaullah denied there was nepotism in the PML-N, saying that PML-N was not an estate that may be transferred to somebody. Talking to the media in front of the Punjab Assembly, the law minister said the PML-N was a party of energetic leaders and agile activists. “No dynastic politics is being practiced in it,” he added. He said that everybody could take part in elections for party leadership. “As far as Hamza Shahbaz and Maryam Nawaz are concerned, they started their political career as party workers,” he added.
