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Musharraf's using hate against India to one-up Nawaz Sharif as Pakistan president

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Shantanu Mukharji
Shantanu MukharjiApr 01, 2017 | 21:41

Musharraf's using hate against India to one-up Nawaz Sharif as Pakistan president

In a desperate bid to come back to power, erstwhile Pakistan president Pervez Musharraf is now on a publicity spree to enter the political arena in the turbulent Pakistani political landscape.

Cooling heels in a luxurious London apartment, Musharraf is engaging himself in several TV chat shows, projecting himself as a potential candidate in the general elections.

The self-contained apartment is believed to be an expensive gift from the Saudi royalty, leading analysts into speculating that Musharraf continues to enjoy the House of Saud's moral and material patronage for his political survival.

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His TV appearances are just anti-India acerbic outbursts, Musharraf's favourite tactics, and he expects to thrive politically through India baiting.

Interestingly, in one of the shows, he was waxing eloquent on Hafiz Saeed of Jamaat-Ud-Dawa, describing him as a strategic asset as Musharraf strongly felt that Hafiz has never resorted to any terrorist activity within Pakistan, but directed his terrorist misadventures within Kashmir.

Such an illustration and effusive praise heaped on Hafiz at this juncture signals Musharraf's attempts to reinduct the terror mastermind into appropriate service once his political career is relaunched.

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Musharraf described terror mastermind Hafiz Saeed as a strategic asset. Photo: PTI

It's therefore evident by these antics that Musharraf is on the ball, carefully following Pakistan pre-election politics.

The former Pakistan president has been cautious in praising Masood Azhar, the head of Jaish-e-Muhammad, because he dreads his anti-Musharraf stance and an aborted assassination attempt targeting him in 2003.

Musharraf has not forgotten that the attempt was made when he tried to make peace with India engaging Atal Bihari Vajpayee in rapprochement. His restraint in praising Masood Azhar was perhaps prompted by intelligently adhering to the old dictum that "discretion is better part of the valour".

The wily statesman that Musharraf is, his survival instincts and "nine lives" have helped him during providential escapes from political exits and the odd brush with death.

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Such anti-India statements and indications at a political revival have possibly led incumbent Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to display some magnanimity and political astuteness as a statesman with his eye on the elections.

An overture to the effect was apparent on March 14 when Sharif attended a Holi event in Karachi that was not only well attended, but also received wide publicity all across Pakistan and beyond.

Importantly, Sharif announced a grant of Rs 500 million for the wellbeing of the Hindu community.

In the same vein, he also declared the introduction of the health card scheme for Hindus living in Sindh.

Simultaneously, on March 19, President Manmoon Hussain signed the Hindu marriage Bill 2017, making it a law to provide for the regulation of Hindu marriages in Pakistan.

Sharif gestures to woo Hindus, for electoral or other reasons, are likely to incur the wrath of the forces inimical to the minorities in Pakistan. These forces are extreme and known for their explosive actions, threatening those with a softened attitude towards Hindus, Shias, Ahmediyas or Christians.

During a Holi event at Pakistan's Sindh University, those opposed to Hindu festivals demanded unconditional apology from those who participated in the festivity and revelry, with an affidavit to the effect.

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Going by such a negative reaction from a section of the society, Sharif's overtures may not lead to an easy path to walk.

Given Musharaff's political ambitions, he may target the incumbent rather aggressively in the not-so-distant future.

After all, Sharif has been Musharraf's principal adversary and oldest political foe.

Pakistan politics has been bloodied throughout with an acrimonious standoff between serving or retired generals and the elected polity.

With Musharraf flexing his muscles through systematic propaganda and an anti-India stance, the political scenario, in all likelihood, will be sullied and divisive.

Last updated: April 01, 2017 | 22:33
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