Nawaz Sharif was perhaps listening inattentively but reflecting deeply when newly-elected MNAs were taking oath on the first day of inaugural session of the 14th National Assembly. He was in this house 14 years ago where he commanded an even greater majority. The heavy popular mandate then enabled him to nurse ambitions of becoming the first-ever Amirul Momineen in the history of Islamic Republic of Pakistan. While a lack of required numbers or support in the upper house of parliament forestalled his move, a combination of factors arising out of his hotheadedness and a successful ploy of some generals led to an abrupt end of his government and arrest. Although, it is not known whether or not he still struggles against the painful flashbacks of his ouster in 1999 and a botched attempt to end his exile in 2007, one can, however, apprehend the significance of Saturday's oath-taking scene from a different perspective: the possible presence of a sudden and disturbing but vivid memory of an event in the past, typically as the result of psychological trauma.
The most profound flashback as an interjected scene that could possibly take Nawaz's narrative back in time from the current point could be his presence before a larger Sindh High Court bench led by the then Chief Justice Saiyed Saeed Ashhad with Sarmad Jalal Osmani as senior puisne judge. This writer-as a newspaper reporter-was present in the courtroom where Nawaz and others had filed appeals against their convictions in the plane-hijacking case.
Not only were all the honourable judges fully mindful of the presence of a twice-elected former prime minister before them, they wanted him to speak of his ordeal at length. Unfortunately, however, a seemingly demoralised and feeble-looking Nawaz failed to cash in on that golden opportunity the court had generously thrown up to him. Had he spoken and whatever he had chosen to speak would have made headlines in the print media (satellite television arrived in Pakistan a few years later) the following day. Appreciating Nawaz's strong reluctance to take the floor, a crafty Ghous Ali Shah whose approach to politics is arguably characterised by both deviousness and finesse half rose from his seat and asked Nawaz whether he "may address the honourable court". Nawaz nodded in affirmation. The former chief minister of Sindh (chief adviser with powers of chief minister) spoke eloquently; his was a persuasive and powerful discourse. He unleashed a slew of broadsides against the army for the dismissal of an elected government and the conviction of elected people on frivolous and fabricated charges. Not only was Nawaz or any other convict listening to Shah attentively through affectionate interest and gallant gestures, almost all, particularly the then senior teen Hamza Shahbaz Sharif, in that jam-packed courtroom were offering devoted and assiduous attention to his speech. It greatly appeared that Nawaz was deeply thankful to the court for giving him a valuable opportunity to vent out his frustrations, sadness and anger. He knew well that nothing would be omitted from Shah's speech for reporting in the media for the court had made no ruling in that regard.
Since flashbacks are often used to fill in crucial back-story, it is imperative to recall how Nawaz viewed Sindh's higher judiciary. During his exile, Nawaz told a noted Pakistani journalist in an extensive interview that "Sindhi judge Syed Rahmat Husain Jafri" did not succumb to the pressure that Generals Musharraf and Mahmood had exerted on him in a relentless manner to award a former prime minister capital punishment of death in the plane-hijacking case. According to Nawaz: "Punjabi judge hota tau pehlay say sazza likh chhorta [had there been a Punjabi judge he would have already penned that sentence]".
Last but not least, since flashbacks are used to recount events that happened in the past, it is however impossible to shed light on events in the opposite direction because nothing can be said with any degree of certainty with regard to the sequence of events that will occur in future. Nawaz's presence in parliament does bring to one's mind the remarks of Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff. `Because it is the truth; it is what happened,' Dilma, who inaugurated her country's first National Truth Commission, famously said in response to the discovery by a researcher of a four decade-old photograph that showed her, according to the New Left Review, in front of a military court for her role that she actively played against the Brazilian military dictatorship. Both Nawaz and the army have the lights of their pasts to guide on; let truth guide us always.
The writer is newspaper's News Editor. He's member of the American Economic Association (AEA)
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