The kidnapping of Nawaz Sharif - Fasi Zaka

Now that Nawaz Sharif has time on his hands once again, he might do well and reflect over his circumstances. First off, he has lost the moral high ground. Despite denying the existence of a deal that got him out of prison illegally (and simultaneously leaving all his supporters high and dry), he suddenly retracted with a statement that sounded nothing less than contrived and highly opportunistic by claiming that the deal was only for half the time, and not ten years as believed.

While the Benazirs, Musharrafs and Shujaats of the world sound totally duplicitous, Nawaz, along with Imran Khan, was the only one who looked as if he had turned over a new leaf by not negotiating with the Dictatorship to create an unholy marriage. Even Fazlur Rehman had jumped in to eye the prime minister's slot. But, by admitting the existence of the deal and trying to push an incredulous story that he had signed on the tacit assumption that it would be renegotiated, it makes him no different than the others.

There is only one man who can unmask the government's deceit in the Nawaz case, and that is Nawaz himself. He needs to have the guts to come out and communicate what happened, claim he is in illegal detention in foreign shores, and counter his royal captors. That is the only way he can honour his "deal" with the Pakistani public as a leader. His interests are with us, not the Saudis.

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