by G. N. Mughul
KARACHI: It is interesting to note that President Asif Ali Zardari, is fifth Sindhi, holding a vital position in the set-up of Pakistan, against whom PML(N) chief Mian Nawaz Sharif rebelled all along his political career since 1988 till today due to one reason or the other.
The first victim of Mian Nawaz Sharif’s style of politics was soft spoken Sindhi Prime Minister Mohammad Khan Junejo. Junejo was dismissed as Prime Minister of Pakistan by the then Military dictator Gen. Zia ul Haq after an enquiry ordered by the then Prime Minister Junejo in to the causes of the famous Ojhri Camp explosion against the wishes of the Military dictator. When Mohammad Khan Junejo was removed from the office of Prime Minister, he also held the office of President, Muslim League. It was early 1988. At that time Mian Nawaz Sharif was attached with Punjab Government and was rather President Muslim League Punjab. At that time Mian Nawaz Sharif used to be known as blue eyed boy of Gen. Jilani and Gen. Zia ul Haq. Immediately after the removal of Mohammad Khan Junejo as Prime Minister of Pakistan a meeting of the general council of Pakistan Muslim League was called in Lahore. According to the circles close to Junejo group, a majority of those invited to attend the said PML session was recommended by Mian Nawaz Sharif. In this meeting Mohammad Khan Junejo was also removed from the office of the President PML. Afterwards, PML was bifurcated in to two groups viz PML(Junejo group) and PML (anti Junejo group). Hamid Nasir Chattha sided with Junejo and remained with him till the death of Junejo. Afterwards, Junejo group was headed by Hamid Nasir Chattha and with the passage of time Junejo group was renamed as PML(Chattha Group).
The second victim is reported to be
Pir Pagaro. When attempts were made by PML Punjab group headed by Mian Nawaz Sharif to rebel against Pir Pagaro, Pir Pagaro also dissociated from that PML and formed his own group called since then as PML(Functional group). First Secretary General of PML(F) was S. M. Zafar.
In 1988 general elections held after the death of Gen. Zia ul Haq in a plane crash, PPP headed by Benazir Bhutto captured majority of NA seats even in Punjab. At that time Provincial polls used to be held two days after national polls. In the meantime, Nawaz Sharif camp raised the slogan of ” Jag Punjabi Jag – Terey Pag nu lag gaya dagh” and aroused the parochial feelings of the people of Punjab against a Sindhi leader of PP. The said attempt succeeded to the extent that majority Provincial Assembly seats in Punjab were captured by PML(N). As the result, PP formed Government in centre with Benazir Bhutto as the Prime Minister and PML(N) formed government in Punjab with Mian Nawaz Sharif as Chief Minister.
The later developments bear testimony that Nawaz Sharif’s Punjab Government did not recognize Benazir Bhutto as Prime Minister of Pakistan and the then Punjab Government virtually rebelled against PP Government in centre in almost in each field to the extent that whenever Benazir Bhutto, as Prime Minister, visited any area of Punjab she was not provided due protocol by the Punjab Government of Nawaz Sharif.
Courtesy: The Frontier post, March 12, 2009
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