Nawaz Sharif, Pakistan's three-time former prime minister, marked his return to the political arena after a four-year self-imposed exile with a rally in Lahore, attended by thousands of enthusiastic supporters. This event signals his political resurgence ahead of scheduled elections in January 2024, with his main rival, Imran Khan, currently incarcerated.
Fireworks welcomed Nawaz Sharif as he arrived at the event in Lahore, his political stronghold. Supporters filled the streets adorned with green and yellow party banners. Addressing the crowds, Sharif expressed his enduring love for them, stating, "I am meeting you after a long time, but my love for you remains intact. You have never betrayed me, and I have never betrayed you."
Sharif had left Pakistan in 2018, while serving a prison sentence for corruption, to seek medical treatment in the United Kingdom. Despite multiple court orders to return, he remained abroad. However, he is now believed to have brokered a deal with the military establishment, resulting in protective bail being granted last week, averting the threat of his arrest.
Nawaz Sharif briefly visited Islamabad to sign court documents before heading to Lahore. Thousands of police officers were deployed to manage the large crowds at the event. Supporters hope Sharif's return will help address high inflation and alleviate the suffering of the poor.
Sharif's return has been eagerly anticipated by his party, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), with the hope that his political influence and local appeal will rejuvenate its declining popularity.
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Nawaz Sharif has been Pakistan's prime minister on three occasions but has never completed a full term. His political fortunes are deeply intertwined with his relationship with the military establishment, which has wielded substantial power in Pakistan's history. His last term ended with his ouster in 2017 and a lifetime disqualification from politics due to a corruption conviction he claims was politically motivated.
Imran Khan came to power with strong military support after Sharif's ouster, but later, Khan had a falling out with the military's top leadership. During this period, Sharif was believed to be directing his party's affairs from London.
Nawaz Sharif's younger brother, Shehbaz, who has a closer relationship with the military, took office in a coalition that unseated Khan. This government modified the law, reducing lawmakers' disqualification from elections to five years, facilitating Sharif's return.
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Analysts suggest that legal barriers preventing Sharif from regaining power are likely being eliminated as part of a behind-the-scenes agreement between his party and the military establishment. His key challenges now include establishing himself and his party as viable alternatives to Khan and addressing the country's economic challenges.
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