LAHORE – Mian Shahbaz Sharif knew it well that the path his elder brotherNawaz Sharif had adopted after his disqualification had ended his chancesof becoming the prime minister. Till elections, he could not come out ofthe confusion over the ‘narrative’, which ultimately brought fall to‘Takht-e-Lahore’.

Now, it is all over as far as the PML-N’s chances of forming governments inthe Centre and Punjab are concerned. By August 16, the new prime ministerand his government will be in place, followed by the governments inprovinces.

It is time for Shahbaz to decide whether he really wants to play the roleof an opposition leader or not in the assembly.

Shahbaz had no experience of leading an opposition movement. Assigninganybody the role of an opposition leader is something different fromplaying the role of an opposition leader against the government of anopponent.

Shahbaz had offered stiff opposition to the PPP government of Asif AliZardari, but as the chief minister of Punjab. Today, it is different as notonly him but his party is also in the opposition, both in the Centre and inPunjab. The sooner he accepts this fact is better it is.

The narrative of Nawaz Sharif, irrespective of how strong and politicallyromantic it might be, would ultimately lead to a prison, if not to thegallows, and keep you away from power for long. You can’t dream of power bytaking head-on with two strongest institutions in the country.

This narrative led to the fall of ‘Takht-e-Lahore’, and until and unlessPakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s possible government in Punjab commits too manymistakes and blunders, the chances of the PML-N’s return to power lookquite bleak.

Therefore, Shahbaz has to decide soon about his role in the opposition. Andif he is not ready to play the leading role, it would be better if henominates some other senior member as the leader of the opposition.

Nawaz and Shahbaz can now look towards Maryam and Hamza to carry theirpolitical and family legacy, but it has also provided an opportunity toSharifs to reform the party and allow senior party leaders to lead theparty. ‘Nazariati’ (ideological) Nawaz Sharif can transform the PML into atrue ‘nazariati’ party, for which Shahbaz Sharif, rather Sharifs, has tocome out of the Imran phobia.

Imran is the ultimate outcome of the failure of the PML-N and the PPP, andtheir political flaws. They should not monitor his political achievementsand policies and benefit from the mistakes he commits.

The sooner Shahbaz recovers from the loss of Takht-e-Lahore the better willbe for him. Though, the PML-N had not performed badly in provincialassembly elections, results could have been much different in favour of thePML-N had Nawaz resolved party’s internal conflict.

His defensive posture has only added to further demoralisation in the partyand also in the opposition camp. His decision to stay back from Islamabadprotest for a very lame reason did not go well, either for himself, hisjailed brother, or for his workers.

You can’t play a role of an opposition leader with a defeated mindset andthis is what he could learn from Imran Khan, said one opposition leader oncondition of anonymity.

The PTI leader, after party’s defeat in the Election 2013, did not sit backand maintained the pressure in the name of re-opening of fourconstituencies. He succeeded in uplifting the morale of the party.

Initially, Shahbaz thought that Takht could have been saved had his brothernot taken a suicidal path and kept his tone soft towards the institutionslike superior judiciary and the establishment. But, the events whichunfolded after Nawaz’s aggressive and, to a large extent abusive tone,sealed all the chances of the PML-N in the elections and retaining power atthe Centre and in Punjab.BY: Mazhar Abbas