report in The Express Tribune, Sept 25th, 2023.
ISLAMABAD: PML-N Senator Mushahid Hussain on Sunday advised party supremo Nawaz Sharif to embrace “generosity” and adopt a “forward-looking approach” by forgiving and moving on, cautioning him against dwelling on accountability of former army generals.
During the interview on a private news channel, the PML-N leader emphasised the importance of forgiveness and moving on, highlighting the counsel he received from the late Nelson Mandela, who believed that generosity was a significant quality of a statesman.
The senator also referred to the teachings of Hazrat Ali, who advocated for a similar approach to justice and revenge.
“Forgive, forget, and move on. We must take a forward-looking approach,” Senator Hussain stated. He acknowledged that while accountability was necessary, Nawaz’s anger was justified.
However, he cautioned against employing a “tried, tested, and failed formula.”
Hussain’s plea for a more conciliatory and inclusive approach towards accountability comes as PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif has reintroduced aggressive rhetoric ahead of his anticipated return to Pakistan on October 21.The former prime minister’s insistence on an aggressive accountability crusade has elicited alarms from within his own party as it could potentially ruffle the feathers of powers that be.
Moreover, sources earlier confirmed that a ‘narrative committee’ has also been established within the party to weigh in on the former PM’s retaliatory narrative. It has held two meetings thus far and comprises around 10 people.
In a no-holds-barred statement on Friday, Nawaz Sharif even demanded that the “conspirators” who orchestrated the downfall of his government in 2017 must face legal consequences, asserting that the country’s progress is hindered unless they were held accountable.
Doubting the futility of such attempts, Mushahid Hussain questioned the outcome of PML-N government’s accountability proceedings against former military dictator Pervez Musharraf.
He recalled that the former military dictator was protected by the military establishment, was provided with security and given a safe exit during the PML-N’s own government while “you were helpless”.
“The military establishment in Pakistan will protect its chief, no matter how controversial he is … he will be given full military honours. They will not allow — till now this situation has not come about, I cannot say about tomorrow — that they allow some outsider — a civilian — to try their soldier.”
The senator said there were “ups and downs” in life and a politician should look at what was in the national and public interest.“If you get trapped in this [process of vengeance] then you won’t be able to govern,” Hussain said, warning that if affairs continued the same way, then “there will be a military coup.”
https://tribune.com.pk/story/2437644/mushahid-cautions-nawaz-avoid-aggressive-narrative
