‘Betrayer of democracy’, Nawaz, goes from ‘Lion of Raiwind’ to ‘cat out of water’: Editorial

ISLAMABAD - Former Pakistan Prime Minister and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz chief Nawaz Sharif’s eleventh hour ‘U-turn’ over the constitutional reforms package is being seen as a ‘betrayal of democracy’ in the country.

Sharif’s sudden and shocking change of mood has earned him flak from all quarters. While parties like the Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) and the Awami National Party (ANP) have criticised the PML-N severely, his own party men have also registered their dissent with the PML-N’s leadership.

Pakistani media too has blasted Sharif for his ‘treacherous’ move.

An editorial in one of the country’s leading English dailies said that the former premier’s move is hard to swallow.

It pointed out that the main culprit behind Sharif’s sudden change of mind could be those who want to deny President Asif Ali Zardari the credit of addressing a historic joint session of Parliament, which would have removed ‘distortions’ created in the Constitution by military dictators and thus provide an opportunity for him to gain the much needed support of the people.

“The only explanation that makes any sense is that some power or agency outside the loop of the deliberations of the constitutional reforms committee has either persuaded, or worse, browbeaten the lion of Raiwind until he has taken on the appearance and character of a cat fished out of the water,” the editorial in The daily Times said.

“The speculation that this could also be an attempt to deny the President the credit of addressing a historic joint session poised to wrinkle out the distortions introduced by military dictators in the constitution and thereby gain political capital and stature,” it added.

It warned that Sharif could have to pay a heavy for asking for a ‘consensus’ on the 18th Constitutional Amendment bill just hours before it was to be tabled in Parliament, as people would not forget his ‘disloyalty’.

“Even in his ‘home’ constituency Punjab, no democrat, let alone those of a pro-people orientation, will easily forgive this treachery,” the editorial said. (ANI)