When on Thursday she broke her self-imposed silence after six long months, Maryam Nawaz, vice president of the PML-N and daughter of its supreme leader Mian Nawaz Sharif, incited considerable excitement, which is likely to prove short-lived, though. The ostensible reason for her public appearance was to felicitate two senior party leaders, Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and Ahsan Iqbal, on their release from NAB custody. The timing was quite significant. Just a couple of days earlier, seven Nawaz League MPAs had called on Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar. And the media had described the development as a sign of brewing rebellion in the party. In fact, those legislators openly criticised their party leadership, especially its President and Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly, Shahbaz Sharif, for his prolonged absence from the country. They also objected to the manner in which the party affairs were being managed by a non-political person, Attaullah Tarar, rather than a senior leader to whom they could relate better. Many others are reported to have expressed similar concerns in private conversations.
Maryam though did not have much to offer by way of mitigating these concerns. Talking to reporters on two separate occasions following her visits with Abbasi and Iqbal, she reiterated her usual assertions vis-à-vis civil-military relations, but had nothing to say about the current issues. Answering a question, she said whenever the leadership gave her instructions to come forward and play her role, she would not be found wanting. In other words, it is not time yet for her to get active. More to the point, she explained she had stayed silent "due to personal reasons". What those reasons might be is not hard to figure out. One is the general belief that her father was allowed to go abroad under an understanding with the powers-that-be, and hence any breach could lead to unpleasant consequences. Second is that she too has petitioned the Lahore High Court for permission to proceed to London to take care of her ailing father. Although convicted in the Chaudhry Sugar Mills corruption case and out only on bail, she still expects to receive relief from the court. Little surprise then if she is reluctant to act in any way that could jeopardize her chances of success. In short, eager she may be to lead the party - which is difficult without the father standing by her side considering that some senior party men have publicly expressed their unwillingness to be led by her - she is in no position to do that at this point in time.
No one seems to know what is keeping Shahbaz Sharif in London for the last four months. Some party leaders have been giving dates of his return only to be proved wrong. His brother may be unwell but he has two sons and a daughter to look after him. At a time the country faces multiple challenges, the PML-N President should be here to play his role as the Leader of the Opposition. And, of course, his party men and women need to be led by someone they know and trust for his leadership qualities.