PML-N leader Nawaz Sharif has made a bold and much welcome announcement that he would cooperate with Federal Investigation Agency's probe into the Mehran Bank scandal, in which he, along with several other politicians, is alleged to have accepted funds from the ISI for the formation of an anti-PPP alliance before the 1990 elections.
In declaring that "there is no question of rejecting (the FIA probe) as it is court's order" he has earned not only public respect, but also effectively countered his political opponent's criticism at an important pre-election juncture. Notably, the Supreme Court's landmark judgement in the case had ruled that the '90 polls were rigged, directing the FIA to conduct investigations against all involved to establish culpability and start legal proceedings accordingly. The court had also ordered the government to take legal action against the then Army chief General Aslam Beg (Retd) and ISI head Lieutenant General Asad Durrani (Retd) for engaging in political engineering in violation of their constitutional oath.
The verdict in the case, pending for a good 16 years, comes at a time when general election is round the corner. For the ruling PPP, the timing could not have been any better - just when all political players are gearing up for the elections, and its popularity seems to have hit rock bottom. Most of the prominent politicians alleged to have colluded with the generals to steal electoral victory from the party are dead. Sharif not only survives, he had been widely expected to win the next elections until Imran Khan's PTI came into its own to throw a strong challenge his way. Any misstep at this point could cause major damage to his party's electoral fortunes. Its first reaction was not so calculated, though. Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan objected to FIA investigating his party leader on grounds of bias, demanding instead an independent commission. He drew strong criticism both from the PPP and the PTI, which probably prompted a rethink. Some of Sharif's critics may also want him to give up his party position to face legal proceedings. Such thinking is right in situations where an accused holds a position of power that could be used to manipulate the outcome of investigations. Although, the PML-N rules in Punjab, it is in no position to influence the FIA which, needless to say, is a federal government agency.