Home Opinion A Man to Refound Pakistan

A Man to Refound Pakistan

by Fasih Ahmed
Photo illustration by Minhaj Ahmed Rafi, source photo: Arif Ali—AFP (Sharif)

Photo illustration by Minhaj Ahmed Rafi, source photo: Arif Ali—AFP (Sharif)

If he plays it right, Nawaz Sharif could become the most significant leader of Pakistan since… Jinnah.

[dropcap]N[/dropcap]awaz Sharif stepped out on the floodlit balcony of his party secretariat in Lahore shortly before midnight on May 11 and declared victory. “Campaigning across Pakistan showed me how much you love Nawaz Sharif,” he said. “I love you twice as much.”

Sharif hit all the right notes, balancing validation with humility. He vowed to fulfill every campaign promise, thanked God for giving him an unprecedented third shot at governing the country—“We must all bow our heads in thanks to Allah”—and asked his supporters to raise their hands to heaven. “Please pray that by morning we’re in a position we don’t need the crutch of coalition partners,” he said. “Please pray our party gains an absolute majority.”

The prayers took. After more results came in and political freelancers who won their races for the national and provincial assemblies flocked to Sharif’s side, his Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) was well placed to form the federal government on its own strength.

Today’s Sharif appears a far different man from when he was last prime minister, some 14 years ago. With all that he has going in his favor Nawaz Sharif will be the most powerful prime minister since, well, Nawaz Sharif. The comparison may be politically blasphemous, but if he can reestablish and rebirth Pakistan—a ruin of a country according to his and Imran Khan’s campaign rhetoric—Sharif could become the most significant leader to shepherd Pakistan since the country’s founder, Mohammad Ali Jinnah.

After the previous elections, Sharif’s PMLN was dismissed as a Punjab-only party. Now, it has elected representatives in all four provinces. He has an aging but disciplined team that knows how to move mountains. Talk show hosts and newspaper editorial boards have renewed their vows of support to him. Empowered and haloed by his party’s threatened march on Islamabad in 2009, the judiciary will likely keep out of his government’s way, a privilege the previous administration did not have.

Doer Sharif is viewed favorably by 66 percent of Pakistanis, according to a Pew survey from March. (Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf chief Khan was viewed favorably by 60 percent, the Army chief Gen. Ashfaq Kayani by 45 percent, and Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry by 43.) Results of the May 11 elections attest that Sharif has won new adherents, including young and left-leaning voters. The Taliban are willing to listen to him. Petro-rich Muslim countries want to deal with him. Pakistan’s business community is bullish about the reinvigorated Sharif. And, like Jinnah, Sharif is not a religious zealot, but he has the eloquence and canniness to swaddle even the most hard-sell initiatives in palliative Islamic packaging to give them a sense of divine purpose. His articulation, institutionalized by the party’s formidable messaging machine, can quell the kneejerk concerns of the toughest of cynics.

Having come to tolerance and patience the long way, Sharif counsels the same to others. Since winning the elections he has refused to give timeframes for ending power outages or terrorism, and he deftly turns around questions to make interviewers feel important while simultaneously not having to commit to answers that can be set to Indian music in a loop of electronic embarrassment. This go in government is Sharif’s swan song. He will be 68, and his closest aides in their mid- to late-60s, by the time the next elections are held. No federal government has ever served a successive term. If the PMLN wants to make history by getting reelected in 2018, its hotheaded, younger leaders must learn to keep their low blood sugar up and reinvent themselves, as their leader seemingly has.

The PMLN will have to curb its over-responsiveness to the media and push forward, more persistently, structured reason and logic.

Sharif’s cabinet members must shake off their opposition frame of mind. Accused of initially being soft on the Asif Ali Zardari-led government, PMLN’s gray-haired mandarins were goaded into unseemly, shrill hysteria by bored television anchors. The squabbling was good for ratings, and self-publicity; and it chipped away at the previous administration’s credibility. But it has also made governance impossible. Sharif’s party will also suffer a strident opposition, from Khan’s PTI if not the Pakistan Peoples Party. Making things happen in such a frayed political environment, wrought in no small part by the PMLN, will be Sharif’s immediate challenge. Anticipating the toxicity in Islamabad, he has said he will move on key issues—the economy, law and order—only with consensus. The PMLN will have to curb its over-responsiveness to the media and push forward, more persistently, structured reason and logic. The party will have to be less Abid Sher Ali and more Pervaiz Rashid.

Across the Bother

The PPP-led government may have been inept from paralysis—it was kept preoccupied by firefighting—but it tolerated criticism with extraordinary patience. Such tolerance is not a sign of weakness, as Sharif appears to acknowledge. “If anyone has abused me or Shahbaz Sharif or our party, we forgive them,” he said after the polls. “For the sake of the country, we will forgive and forget all the harsh words said on the campaign trail.” It was good of Sharif to visit Imran Khan on May 14, and of Khan to see him. “We have decided that despite the severe differences that we have, we will work together to resolve major national problems including terrorism,” the PTI chief said after the meeting. “Elections are over and we all, as a nation, want to move forward.” Outside the hospital, Sharif told reporters he had “good discussions” with Khan. “There is a [saying of Islam’s Prophet] that says you should not be angry for more than three days,” he said.

Sharif has forgiven most but, evidently, not all of the politicians who supported Pervez Musharraf, the man who ousted his last government. In recent discussions with Newsweek, Sharif was clear he would not seek any retribution or hound his actual or imagined rivals—as happened in the past. But as prime minister, would he not be under obligation to address the furor over the PPP’s alleged misdeeds? “Some sort of mechanism would have to be worked out,” he said, agreeing that accountability has been a byword for political victimization in gossip-as-gospel Pakistan. Sharif wants Parliament to pass new legislation and appoint an accountability chief with a solid spine and legal background with “a two third or three fourth majority” vote “to make sure the appointment is correct and very transparent.”

Holy Profit

To eradicate crippling, pauperizing power outages “on a war footing,” instill confidence in the highly-sensitive business community, and fund his development projects that he believes will wean away the misguided from the pay and thrall of terrorists, Sharif needs money. Going to the IMF is the immediate requirement. In the long-term, businessman Sharif knows he has to establish an enduring, business-friendly framework. To do this, he must first establish his government as the final authority on all economic and business matters. The wisdom and energies of the higher judiciary are best spent on its rising backlog of cases than on indicting government initiatives through suo moto notices.

Of late, contracts between international (and domestic) investors and Pakistan have been rendered meaningless. The sanctity of contracts is the foundation for economic growth. It is not good that Tethyan Copper Company Pakistan, a joint venture between Canada’s Barrick Gold and Chile’s Antofagasta, which invested $220 million of an estimated $3.3 billion since 2006 in Balochistan’s Reko Diq, has been forced to abandon the country. It is investors like these that the country needs, and Sharif must woo, to help clear circular debt, repower idle or underutilized electricity generation structures, and make good on his ambitions for an economic revival. It is not good that the economic reforms introduced by Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz were rolled back thoughtlessly, withering tax collection and promoting capital flight. And it is disappointing that only one state company, a small fertilizer plant, has been privatized since the Supreme Court’s 2006 Pakistan Steel Mills judgment.

Pakistanis have a near-genetic tendency to bite the hands that feed them. The last few years have been wasted drumming up class warfare, stigmatizing the economy, and declaring every success story suspect.

Massive infrastructure projects that Sharif has plans for will require a significant measure of foreign capital. Given the recent past, who would invest in Pakistan without the protection of a letter of credit confirmed by an international bank? Besides preserving the sanctity of contracts, Sharif needs to shape a consensus, long-run economic policy, especially for the energy sector, all political parties can sign off on, like in India, to fuel continuous growth.

Business will support Sharif’s reforms if these are evenly applied, with transparency that lends stimulating finality to transactions. Pakistan has governmental and nongovernmental organizations that purport to be economic watchdogs, but all of them lack the intellectual depth, experience, and impartiality to do the job right. Sharif can help here by draining out the alphabet soup of regulatory bodies and creating simpler processes and regulations, demystifying the tax code, passing Chapter 11 legislation, penalizing functionaries whose actions stink of conflict of interest, incentivizing job creation and corporate philanthropy.

The government needs new rules of business for business. Pakistanis have a near-genetic tendency to bite the hands that feed them. The last few years have been wasted drumming up class warfare, stigmatizing the economy, and declaring every success story suspect. Pakistan’s vilified businessmen are right to envy their Indian counterparts, who are celebrated as national heroes. Even once avowedly pro-business newspapers have lapsed into “scandalizing” the economy, viewing any action by the courts based on their jaundiced reports as a mark of honor. Reforming defamation and libel laws, with provisions for heavy punitive damages, would improve the environment for business and, equally importantly, finally force Pakistan’s freewheeling media toward responsibility and real work. Sharif’s information minister should read Britain’s Leveson report on press self-regulation like a ransom note.

On terrorism, the big roadblock to a new and reborn Pakistan, Sharif appears to have been mischaracterized. He’s taken on militants in the past, and he’ll do so again—if his intended truce talks do not pan out. This fight will also require an agile justice system (in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and Karachi, people are turning to Taliban courts for dispute resolution) and an economy that allows Sharif fiscal space to undertake his “massive developmental program” in the federally-administered tribal areas “to encourage boys and girls to come to school, to set up good hospitals, allow investment, give locals tax concessions, provide them cheap loans.”

The PMLN’s projects in the Punjab since 2008 illustrate Sharif’s transformational ambitions. The Daanish schools provide lower- and middle-class students with opportunities for social advancement; Lahore’s Metro Bus has civilized commuters by disciplining them into queues and making them punctual; the roads and highways Sharif earlier built connected markets and people, promoting a sense of national integration. Sharif knows he must make good on his latest campaign promises—and rapidly. In Pakistan, love can turn to hate in a heartbeat.

With Jahanzeb Aslam. From our May 31, 2013, issue.

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122 comments

Adnan May 25, 2013 - 11:56 am

Shairrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

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Hadeed Sher (@HadeedSher) May 25, 2013 - 11:56 am

Excellent write up. InshaALLAH PMLN will steer us in the right direction.

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nzk May 25, 2013 - 11:59 am

If Jinnah Made billions from Making of Pakistan, then yes, Nawaz Shareef, may be a New Jinnah.

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Raza May 26, 2013 - 7:30 pm

its a shame ppl still believe in this family of hypocrites who r all nothing more than delusional greedy hyenas and so called journalists has the audacity to compare him with Mr Jinnah, sold out corrupt media!!

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hassan May 28, 2013 - 9:16 pm

dont bark without proof

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Yousuf May 25, 2013 - 12:08 pm

Respected Jinnah Sb. was honest and dedicated person for Pakistan. No comparison of Honorable Jinnah Sb to the looters of Pakistan wealth.

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ather9 May 25, 2013 - 1:48 pm

Absolutely agreed with you Yousuf. I’m amazed to read blind comments of blind followers.

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ayyubkulla May 25, 2013 - 9:14 pm

no comparison between the 2 personalities.

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Zulfiqar Ali May 26, 2013 - 1:12 am

agree with u

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Safi Ullah May 27, 2013 - 5:32 pm

Sharif is not less than Jinnah. Jinnah was also an autocratic person not a democrate. Rather than making Hussain Shaheed Sudrwadri from mojority province of East Pakistan the Prime Minister of the country,,,, he choose Liaqat Ali Khan for this position and tried to impose Urdu Language upon East Pakistani Muslims… Lets hope that Nawaz Sharif will not repeat the mistakes of Jinnah

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ali May 25, 2013 - 12:16 pm

This guy is a corrupt monster. Bad luck of Pakistan that it got such an idiot prime minister. Don’t insult Jinnah please.

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fahad May 25, 2013 - 2:09 pm

agreed

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Faiza (@Faiza_PK) May 25, 2013 - 10:53 pm

Using the word “corrupt” without any proof & allegation, has become a fashion in Pakistan. Musharraf, Benazir, Zardari…. All of them tried their best to prove corruption against Nawaz Sharif but couldn’t. IK keeps yelling & screaming in jalsay…. He never even went to the courts or presented any proof. Its time to show some maturity instead of calling everyone “corrupt” just bcz we know this word

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Furqan Hameed (@LeouddotCom) May 26, 2013 - 8:57 am

What about LDA plaza fire..all Metro bus records burned…hahahaha great leaders

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Azeem Khan May 26, 2013 - 10:34 am

Agreed…!!!

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faisal May 26, 2013 - 10:34 am

a simple curroption. go to wapda’s website. check up on itefaq foundry. see how much it owes in electricity bills. see the wealth of this ogre in Nawaz shareef. and open ur eyes up to reality rather than the dreams u r watchin lady.

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Mushtaq May 27, 2013 - 8:57 am

Faiza..did you forget the Asghar Khan case? and the Hudaibiya Mills case? Sharifs have been getting stay orders against the Hudabiya case for almost 16 years now.

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hasan May 27, 2013 - 1:24 pm

do you live under a rock? Or have you stopped living IN pakistan? 🙂 there is video/audiotape proof on the internet that the judiciary is in Nawaz’s pocket.

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Akram Khalid May 28, 2013 - 7:01 pm

There appears to be only one thing common between the Quaid and Nawaz and that is 25 December (dob).
We must however respect the mandate of the people of Pakistan. Its a challenging situation for almost every major political party, and I wish them all success. Its time they must serve the people of Pakistan with good governance so that Pakistan may prosper.

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khurram zeeshan May 30, 2013 - 10:02 am

150% agreed with you

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Aqib Ahmed May 30, 2013 - 2:51 pm

100% Agreed with Faiza_Pk comments.

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mian khaliq May 25, 2013 - 12:20 pm

Its the insult of Quiad i Azam to compare him with Nawaz. Nawaz is proven illitrate and choor who took money fron ISI…. plz have mercy on Quiad i Azam

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Niels May 25, 2013 - 12:20 pm

In sha Allah, Nawaz Shareef will do far better than all the previous governments till date in Pakistan. His resolved and centered leadership will bring, maybe what PTI calls a “change” and we might see a better and somewhat prosperous Pakistan in his tenure, in sha Allah. The thing is, he must not be relaxed after overcoming on major problems; instead, he must make a better and longest-term infrastructure that would help the coming generations, in sha Allah! My very best wishes with Mian Mohammad Nawaz Shareef, and the PML (N) leadership and workers.

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Mohsin Zahid May 25, 2013 - 1:41 pm

“Infrastructure Neil?” – alas our educated but illiterate “Awam”. Why oh why can’t you differentiate good from evil? Why can’t you spot a lier? Why do you lick your own spit (13 years ago!)?

He’s a corrupt idiot with no plan for our nation. He knows what to say to sway our stupid nation.

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M shafiq janjua May 25, 2013 - 2:39 pm

Mohsin, Nation is never stupid but you only.

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Ehsan Rana May 25, 2013 - 4:10 pm

My dear, we are not a nation unfortunately but chu chu k murrabba.
Hamari majority baat b baat jhoot bolna mein koi burai nai samjhti aur aik hee jhoot k dhokay mein basr baar aatay hain.
Kahun tau hay kharabi.
Leader hamain apnay jaisay jhootay aur makkar achay lagtay hain.

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Aamir May 25, 2013 - 7:25 pm

lets wait and see. Lets hope for the best. Lets support democracy.

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Ali May 25, 2013 - 12:59 pm

Dear Mr. writer !

Please read a book or two on Jinnah and cry hoarse in shame.

Regards.
Pakistani.

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R Imtiaz May 25, 2013 - 1:14 pm

Nawaz can do it.. And for the people who have grown very emotional at the comparison with Jinnah, the writer is not saying he is like Jinnah (in character), only that he can be as significant in shaping Pakistan’s future!

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Elina May 25, 2013 - 1:16 pm

give me a break please…did you just woke up or are u still sleeping? & please give some respect to Jinnah… there is no match of Nawaz Shariff with Jinnah…

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Saqib Liaqat May 25, 2013 - 1:23 pm

Quaid is a father of leaders . Don’t insult Jinnah please.

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S. Shaikh May 25, 2013 - 1:49 pm

Nawaz Sharif gives this country reason to be hopeful again. He has a huge responsibility and a great opportunity. Let us all pray for Pakistan’s success and forget which party we voted for in the elections.

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syed ashraf agha May 25, 2013 - 1:50 pm

No comparison between a renowned Barrister from UK (Md.Ali Jinnah) and Nawaz, a Graduate in Arts from a local College in Lahore, born on the April Fools day (1st April) with mediocre intelligence. While Jinnah was a liberal enlightened Muslim, Nawaz has inducted many hard core Sunni’s fascists into his party who have Saudi tilt and are intolerant towards other communities in Pakistan. He has come with such mandate through a massively rigged election and only his economic performance can erase the stigma of him being a puppet installed to appease the Saudi’s and the Americans, who want to exit Afghanistan through a Taliban friendly Govt. in Pakistan. With this mandate, he sure has a great opportunity to serve Pakistan for a full term. Only time will tell.

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Najmi May 28, 2013 - 7:32 pm

Absolutely Right Agreed

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Kim May 25, 2013 - 1:56 pm

Very Pathetic one that writer tag him as Jinnah rebirth. writers do often such things for their own like and for their own intersets.

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Sheikh May 25, 2013 - 2:00 pm

The bigger Insult was comparing Imran Khan with Quaid e Azam by PTI Losers…
Only Nawaz Sharif can take Pakistan out from crisis…..

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ANONYMUS May 25, 2013 - 2:05 pm

haha..what about that pic of imran and quaid…when both were matched before the elections on social media…u think that rapist would be equal to JINNAH

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usman May 25, 2013 - 2:06 pm

Nawaz sharif is a currpt leader not comparison with gret leader Quaid

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M shafiq Janjua May 25, 2013 - 2:20 pm

Some sick people trying to degrade NS through comments here but such people can blame only. Their forefathers have tried all the efforts to prove any corruption against NS and failed. Sick people must learn that election results are the best picture to gauge popularity and capability of any leader. I am sure PML-N will perform much better Insha Allah.

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Pakistani May 25, 2013 - 4:11 pm

Disgarce for Quaid. I think even Quaid’s servants were of better character then this person. And regarding your comment of sick person shud c the results of election to gauge popularity I wonder y all parties, media are making noise of rigging including PMLN who are protesting in Sindh. And for prove against them Why u people cxrticise Zardari as nothing has been proven against him. Read Thenews report about 3.5 Billion Rs corruption case still hanging by a thread of stay order obtained in 1998 on willful default

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MA May 25, 2013 - 2:38 pm

Read and Understand…

“The comparison may be politically blasphemous, but if he can reestablish and rebirth Pakistan—a ruin of a country according to his and Imran Khan’s campaign rhetoric—Sharif could become the most significant leader to shepherd Pakistan since the country’s founder, Mohammad Ali Jinnah.”

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ranaizwanhussain May 25, 2013 - 2:39 pm

The guy and his team lack vision required for the progress of Pakistan. “Progress of Pakistan” is something they are least concerned with, they are pushed to work because of the restlessness created for them by IK. Their previous track record shows that they always fail to set priorities in their work and most of their budget goes to oblige the oblige the specifics and is no use for the general. Pakistan needs a leader who keeps vision and also the desire to work for the country. Unlike those who have to perform under obligation to perform.

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Faiza (@Faiza_PK) May 25, 2013 - 10:46 pm

Kindly check the education & experience of his team before you use the word ‘lack of vision”. Also, plz check the Actual Facts on how Pakistan was progressing in 90s without US Aid…even we were under the sanctions.
Its easy to criticize someone….but it makes more sense when we have actual information to prove our point. Nawaz Sharif’s track record in those 2 short tenures in 90s, speaks for itself…. But again, one has to do some work instead of falling for whatever IK tells you… 🙂

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faisal May 26, 2013 - 10:40 am

yes giving gawadar to the arbis in 1998 just to keep them happy when one day he is in trouble his papa sheikh can bail him out? he canceled all of ppp’s electricity projects after coming into power just cause they were inaugurated by ppp. the main reason we r facing electricity shortages is this guy. the main reason for the dollar to be at 100 today is this guy. if he had done well in the 90’s our Ruppee would’ve been stronger than atleast indian rupee which is now twice. This KUGOO doesn’t know shit how to run a state. he defaulted his own factory which his dad built for him cause he was soo dumb he couldn’t pass school properly LOL..

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osama May 25, 2013 - 2:47 pm

Hahaha…cmon man r u kidding me..this family ltd patwari group leader is a money launderer and a corrupt guy nd who dsnt know tht…so stop bullshiting people here..its a bloody disgrace for our quaid to be compared with this idiot…if having billions ov dollars and properties outside the country,running away ov so called political asylum to saudi and enjoying the royal lifestyle there,attacking the supreme court itslf,having more than 1200 police man for their family security and and making false promises during election campaigns behind a bullet proof glass makes him a lion or quaid -e-azam thn he truely is ….u know wot i didnt even read the article just the first paragraph cz v dnt hv time time for this bullshit and i cn tell tht this is a member of lafafa group …p.t.i. zindabad

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nauman May 29, 2013 - 6:39 pm

Dont disgrace your self on the name of disgraceful PTI. Please tell your Mr 5 Min (that’s what they call him in UK 🙂 ) to explain the people from who’s money he is living in 300 canal house in Islamabad?? From whose money he ran this election campaign with billions of Rupess? Gold Smith? or Musharraf or Zardari?? Why SKMH did not publish its balance sheets since 2009?? seems you PTI kids are simply in blind love of cricket nothing else. If you are so fond of new face in Pakistani politics its would have been better to elect Dr Qadir Khan atleast he build atomic bomb not won a silly cricket cup! if this is your criteria of a leader better to elect Jan Sher Khan who won 8 world cups in Squash! LOL! Grow up man! get out of your hysteria of defeat, dont run blind behind Jewish son in law!

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Imran Shaheen May 25, 2013 - 2:58 pm

The POOR TSUNAMI KIDDS CAN”T UNDERSTAND IT ALL! HOW CAN THEY RESPECT A NATIONAL LEADER, THOSE WHO NEVER LEARNT TO RESPECT THEIR PARENTS!!!!!

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atif mehmood May 25, 2013 - 3:10 pm

all pakistan is satisfied of this govt my mean pmln all problems solves in this govt

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Zeeshan May 25, 2013 - 3:11 pm

Great Shaer Is Coming to Build Pakistan

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Nabi sajwar May 25, 2013 - 3:25 pm

Yeah, Mr. Nawaz sharif can resolve all these challenges with his sincere team. they can overcome the challenges..what we are facing rightnow, like severe energy crises, economic, law & order, corruption, unemployment & other on going major issues. I pray that may ALLAH them to meet the challenges. Congrats the whole PMLN MNA,s.

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Ehsan Rana May 25, 2013 - 4:18 pm

I somewhat agree with you on energy, economy, unemployment we might see some slight positivity but corruption & law n order, um sorry they are part of it..
Pak’s power politics mein paisa bohat zaruri hy aur paisay k liay corruption, so don’t expect anything plz.
Agar honest hotay tau pichlay 5 years mein sara paisa UK, KSA & INDIA se wapis lay aatay.

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Akyl Abbas May 25, 2013 - 4:06 pm

Better than Mr. Zoordari.

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Saqib Awan May 25, 2013 - 4:11 pm

Haters gonna hate!!
Respect for Mian Sahb!

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molvimajid May 25, 2013 - 4:38 pm

No doubt. He is the man. Allah has given him big responsibility and he is only one right now in Pakistan to take care of Madina-e-Sani.

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Omar Farooq May 25, 2013 - 4:40 pm

I just wish people would leave Jinnah alone. I didn’t like it when people were trying to draw comparisons between him and IK ( But at least it was done by IK’s zealous supports and by a weekly magazine, however distasteful) The writer is wrong in assuming that Indian business model is something Pakistan should strive for- A handful of rich people lavishly spending money on skyscraper homes towering unapologetically over the slums i.e. Mukesh Ambani’s 27-Story home looking over Dharavi slum. I, however, agree with the fact that the stage is set and if NS were to make correct strategic decision he has the chance to etch his name in Pakistan’s history. The article however is disjointed and packed with irrelevant rhetoric. At best is an unapologetic partisan encomium.

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usman zain May 25, 2013 - 4:47 pm

no doubt jinah sb was the great leader of pakistan people.
but nawaz is good than other leaders.
i think he ll be done well now.
INSHAALLAH.

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Desert Safari May 25, 2013 - 5:26 pm

Yes, but Jinnah was the Leader by Birth. He devoted our life for Pakistan. No comparison with Jinnah

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ABCToursDubai May 25, 2013 - 5:29 pm

Jinnah was the leader by Birth. He devoted our life for Pakistan.

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fawad ch May 25, 2013 - 5:30 pm

Its, true we love him.He is only leader who have power to change Pakistan in Positive way. . . . :’)

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Sufyan May 25, 2013 - 5:51 pm

If a flamboyant playboy master(IK) of abusive language can be compared to Jinnah.
Why not Sharif then ?
Double standard nation.

A proud Pakistani.

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umer May 25, 2013 - 8:30 pm

WHICH IDIOT GOOF THOUGH THAT NAWAZ SHARIF COULD BE COMPARED WITH JINNAH…THIS IS PATHETIC AND A DISGRACE TO MR.JINNAH!!!!!!!

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umar shehbaz May 25, 2013 - 10:02 pm

insha ALLAH pml n solve the problems of pakistan….

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Faiza (@Faiza_PK) May 25, 2013 - 10:41 pm

Political affiliations aside, this man fought for democracy & free judiciary. Our generations will benefit from this true change.
His vision for progress & development, could be seen in his initiatives in 90s. His honesty could be proved by the fact that his worse enemies couldn’t find a single piece of corruption against him.
Lots of love & support for Nawaz Sharif who always thinks above politics, above his own party, above his own govt… He thinks and acts for Pakistan. I have no doubts in saying, Quaid-e-Azam would have nominated Nawaz Sharif as his successor.

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Armash May 26, 2013 - 2:41 am

Agreed!

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Usman Mughal May 25, 2013 - 10:44 pm

insha-Allah… nawaz Sharif will be

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Habeel May 25, 2013 - 11:01 pm

Excellent Piece Bravo!!

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Saleheen Shazad May 25, 2013 - 11:01 pm

Allah provided him a chance with full mandate despite so much fake propaganda against him and I believe he will pull out Pakistan from this current crisis. INSH ALLAH

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waqas aslam May 25, 2013 - 11:01 pm

no one replace and take the seat of FOUNDER OF PAKISTAN QUAID-E-AZAM he is our father of nation we proud oh him forever. Nawaz Sharif have a capability to make good thing use the path of QUAID-E-AZAM

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Saleheen Shazad May 25, 2013 - 11:08 pm

I don’t know why people can’t understand what writer wrote in this article? he focused on AFTER Jinnah not EQUAL Jinnah.

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Hamza Sodhi May 25, 2013 - 11:31 pm

The Most Popular Leader after Mohammad Ali Jinnah Will Be Mian Nawaz Sharif, His humbleness, his attitude and his policies reflect the nation’s Mindset…

Long Live Pakistan, Long Live Mian Mohammad Nawaz Sharif

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Tariq Vaid May 26, 2013 - 12:08 am

Nawaz Sharif could well become the Most Significant Leader of Pakistan since Jinnah. This statement in no way could be construed as a comparison to Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah.

What the article focuses on, is that Nawaz Sharif would be following the path of Quaid-e-Azam and restructure Pakistan so that it can emerge as a Confident, Independent, Sovereign and a Prosperous Nation as Quaid-e-Azam envisioned. If Nawaz Sharif can, and I’m sure he will, achieve that, it will definitely make him an important leader after Jinnah.

Pakistan right now, in real terms, is in dire-straits, ranging from the issue of Terrorism, Energy Crisis, Economic Meltdown, Law & Order, restive border situation with Afghanistan, Corruption Scams, Pakistan is currently engulfed in all these issues. Nawaz Sharif has the capacity as a Leader & has the team which can steer Pakistan out of crisis, so that the next generation can breathe & live safely & have a bright future.

The position of Quaid-e-Azam is intact as the Founder of the Nation and that cannot & will not change.

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Muhammad Ibad May 26, 2013 - 12:11 am

Some blind supporters of IMMI bhai are making this Pic controversial Grow Up bachu ! U will never understand the difference between a cricketer & a statesman

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waqas aslam May 26, 2013 - 12:23 am

no one replace the father of nation QUAID -A-AZAM MUHAMMAD ALI JINNAH. he is our hero no one take place. but PMLN just chose a path of Quaid a Azam for build a nation under the low of Islamic IN-SHAH-ALLAH

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hayee23H. Basharat May 26, 2013 - 1:40 am

OMG…… The writer has a power of writing but without his brain. Comparing with Hazrat Qaid-e-Azam with one of the most corrupt leader of the country, who was born in the hands of the vicious fundamentalist, Islamic Nazi leader, Nawaz Shareef. I felt very sorry for him to write up such comparison. Nawaz will survive with the hands of Taliban and in protection of his own funded justice system.Thanks God, we have army, as nation’s last resort to be saved before collapse.

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Majid Tamoor May 26, 2013 - 2:25 am

This all perfectly sums up to tht Nawaz Sharif is the man with a plan who can do it for Pakistan!

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SRB May 26, 2013 - 5:27 pm

Yes u r rite

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Imran May 26, 2013 - 2:40 am

Comparing him to Jinnah is a disgrace itself. Please don’t insult Jinnah.

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Nasir Hussain May 26, 2013 - 8:03 am

Hell shame on this newspaper which really degraded Quaid e Azam picture to extream hilt. Just spit on the mind which thought of the idea of insulting Quaid picture like this!

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Furqan Hameed (@LeouddotCom) May 26, 2013 - 8:54 am

You guys are idiots who made this picture you compare NS with the Ultimate leader Quaid-E-Azam?? are you serious? Shame on your thoughts author….

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The dude May 26, 2013 - 9:10 am

oohhh god maaf karo ! sari qaum ka paisay kha kar punjab ko garmi aur load shedding mein maar kar apni factories ki bilji puri kar kay ! and yah hes the next big leader after jinnaaahhh ahem ahem this is the 2nd time hes coming in2 power retarddd! i seriously think author is joking or something lmao

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Daud May 26, 2013 - 9:50 am

Inshallah Nawaz Sharif will deliver, if he is given time to complete his tenure

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faisal May 26, 2013 - 10:30 am

please we all know newsweek’s love for pmln and Nawaz shareef and their support on facebook statuses during the election period, but please refrain from showing Nawaz comparable to Jinnah as Nawaz has been a disgrace to Pakistan and Jinnah himself. remove the picture as the majority know the real face of Nawaz and feel sick with his face face being cropped to match Jinnah’s. Nawaz is an ogre it would be rightful if he was compared to shrek rather than Jinnah 🙂

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tureface May 26, 2013 - 10:42 am

Yes MIan Nawaz Sharif can re build Pakistan. We should be hopeful rather to be desperate. WE should see every one as a ray of hope for Pakistan. Negleting all the political affiliations, we should now keep good expectations from the New Elected Prime Minister.

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Faraan May 26, 2013 - 11:14 am

Writer must be a PMLN sher or someone who has no relationship with history.

The scum of journalism.

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uH May 26, 2013 - 1:23 pm

Not a religious zealot? He almost became the ‘ameer ul mominin’ in his last stint. The Taliban have refused to be part of any talks without him.
Not a Punjabi party? At least 90% of its total seats have been won from the punjab. A dozen seats (that too primarily of those political freelancers) does not make it a national party.
And what about the reko dik project? Nawaz annulled/renegotiated more than one agreement with international firms operating in the energy sector in particular during his last stint. He has a precedent of reneging on promises.

In short, the author is either dumb or ignorant or downright dishonest. Newsweek Pakistan should take care to check facts of the articles they publish. Pathetic!

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Abdur Rahman May 26, 2013 - 2:18 pm

After pushing Nawaz Sharif out of power through army 14 years ago and then not letting him compete in 2008 elections. Nation has given her verdict once again in the favor of Nawaz Sharif. Pakistanies believe that he is the only true leader who can resolve their long standing issues which are multiplied in Musharaf and PPP era. Nawaz Sharif stands out to be most popular and non controversial leader in the country and he should be supported by all means to resolve issues in which our nation is literally suffering like never before.

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Uzair Baloch May 26, 2013 - 2:24 pm

how can you compare Muhammal Ali jinnah with this faggot shareef. this cover page should be sued by jinnah family.

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Nadeem Shafique Butt May 26, 2013 - 2:43 pm

Mian Nawaz Sharif building Pakistan of Quaid-e-Azam and Allama Iqbal……………

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SRB May 26, 2013 - 5:26 pm

Only Nawaz Sharif. A man of words after Quaid e Amaz. N.S is a different man .:) Both leaders born on 25 dec.

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PMLN knows Pakistan May 26, 2013 - 6:20 pm

I’m pretty sure that those PTI friends commenting here about the disgrace that has been made (according to them) to Jinnah did not even bother to read the piece. They just saw the image, and went off the hook yelling, “Woahhh where’s my IK that I had put up here in this image I had put up on my FB DP? Jinnah was with him last time I saw this image.” and sarted commenting.
Relax guys!!! He has just talked about economy and infrastructure in this article and I wonder if anyone making comments here has got any clue about Jinnah’s economic plan for Pakistan.
On a serious note! Even the saner supporters of PTI agree that business community favors PMLN and certainly there are reasons for it. I hope Nawaz Sharif does everything that he can to fulfill all the promises that he has made and takes Pakistan forward. He has an able team and I wish them best of luck.
Pakistan Zindabad.

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Zeeshan May 26, 2013 - 6:26 pm

Over the years, Mian Nawaz Sharif has turned into a true statesman.. his past exp coupled with current vision, shows that he will succeed in steering Paksitan out of this state of crisis InshaAllah.

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Amjad Khan May 26, 2013 - 9:29 pm

Nawaz Shariff is a great statesman and politician .I am happy to see that there are alot of his admirers not only in Pakistan but arround the world

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Nadeem Malik May 26, 2013 - 10:05 pm

Please please don’t make such out of place comparisons. I have serious reservation. Jinnah refused to offer even a cup of tea during meetings. What to talk of these people who made billions and billions and are still looking for more.

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waqar May 27, 2013 - 11:19 am

Inshallah – Nawaz Sharif is the only Hope.

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Najmi May 27, 2013 - 1:45 pm

IDIOTS HAVE NEVER ENDING Living in day dreams is a routine in our society. Its amazing to read that people see resolution of there country’s problems by PML NOORA WOW God Bless you People

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In May 27, 2013 - 2:55 pm

Jinnah had more integrity, honesty and intelligence than all of current PML(N) in Pakistan. The mere thought of comparison between the two is an abhorrent thought in my opinion. Jinnah is one leader unanimously revered by all sides of politics. He earned this respect. Nawaz Sharif has not achieved this after 30 years in politics. Please leave the good legacy of Jinnah alone.

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Syed Masood Ibrahim May 27, 2013 - 6:45 pm

Mian Nawaz Sharif is the most significant leader for whom the people of Pakistan voted, he without a doubt has the most experienced team which can assist in making our country peaceful and stand for what is right.

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M Humza Awan May 28, 2013 - 12:52 pm

I thought educated people use internet in Pakistan. This article says that MAY BE NS WILL BE NEXT BIG LEADER AFTER JINNAH. Please no one is comparing him with Jinnah!

Keep calm and Believe in your prime minister

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Mohammad Shaiq May 28, 2013 - 1:29 pm

Please don’t take it serious, Today there is no other one is better than Nawaz shareef & stop to blame the whole nation,,,, we all did pray before election for the sincere prime minister of Pakistan regardless any fervor personality, If Nawaz shareef is selected by Allah we have not accepted please think it… Allah knows better than us who will be the better for Pakistan..

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Akram Khalid May 28, 2013 - 7:09 pm

Without getting into any controversy, I believe we all must respect the mandate given by the people of Pakistan to every political party. I see the situation as that of a competition among all major parties in the center as well as respective provinces. I am sure this time each respective government will eradicate corruption and work wholeheartedly for the betterment of the masses and prosperity of Pakistan. I wish them all success.

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Najmi May 28, 2013 - 7:28 pm

God Bless You People, LOL @ Mohammad ShaiqGod has choosen NS to rulle Pakistan who choose Naten Yaho to rulle Israel to kill innocent people of Arab world, it means ALLAH is indirectly like to see innocent people bieng killd by userpers WAHT A LOGIC ha ha ha Pakistanis Living in fools paradise God Bless You

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Saddam Khan May 28, 2013 - 10:38 pm

Nawaz is better to our Country

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nauman May 29, 2013 - 6:30 pm

some fools here are still in the hysteria of PTI’s defeat. Maybe some people have weak understanding of English, this article is not comparing at all Nawaz and Jinnah sb. What the author is trying to say is simply that “if he follows the foot steps of Jinnah he can become the most significant leader of Modern Pakistan”. This is the only guy who has credible face value to show to outside world. None of any leaders especially Imran Khan has any credibility except UK. Never seen him meeting with Arab or Chinese delegates he even refused to meet Chinese premier, what a shame for a the new opposition leader of Pakistan. If anyone can bring Pakistan back to life is only Nawaz Sharif. PTI needs to grow a lot over coming years as they have turned out to be simply emotional and arrogant people, who are gathered from every corrupt political party. None of any leaders of PTI today have any old comradeship of contribution to PTI itself. Imran Khan won one world cup and built a charity hospital, but surely people are very intelligent to know countries dont run on world cup’s and charity hospitals. He simply lacks the character of team spirit and nationalism. After the elections where he went or why he is hiding from media is not understood seems he is also going to address his party workers via Skype like his old partner Altaf Hussain. So dont come here commenting in jealousy come up with some logic.

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M Afzal Qamar May 30, 2013 - 2:33 pm

No comparison with Muhammad Ali Jinnah, Jinnah was a big leader and Nawaz Sharif?…We can say he is a world class leader or have the world class leadership qualities. Anyone can differ with me but the reality is reality.

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Mian Saqib June 2, 2013 - 10:34 am

Nawas Sharif is not Quid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinah and he can never be like him. There is no match or comparison between the two.
Nawas Sharif is just a hope in the darks of Zardarees, Madaarees, Khalaarees, Pervaizees, and Bhuta khhoors.
I HOPE Nawas Sharif understands that we common Pakistanis have trusted him that he would bring Pakistan back on track. I HOPE he does not think himself Quid-e-Azam and let himself not bothered by the people who have just woken up from a sweet dream into reality and found out that People of Pakistan have rejected them and now they are using all the abusing languages, false accusations, fake evidences and madeup stories just to show how uncontrolled, unrealistic and rigid these opponent of Nawas Sharif are when they found out that their dreams were SURAABS and now they cannot face the reality.
BTW:Crying Dhandhadlee is a good facesaving eversince there have been any elections.

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Mujibuddin June 3, 2013 - 11:44 am

But despite all hopes and expectations with Nawaz Sharif, it is still feared, he will again may not obsess with his ambitition of becoming AMEE UL MOMINEEN which he wished once and went behind the bars and then to exile. May God save us all.

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Aslam Khan June 5, 2013 - 11:36 pm

Mian Nawaz Sharif building Pakistan of Quaid-e-Azam and Allama Iqbal…and Pakistan 2nd name is nawaz sherif

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Mohammad Hassan June 6, 2013 - 7:06 pm

Mian Mohammad Nawaz sharif is only hope left in country if He will deliver only 25% what he said surely Pak will be better place than UAE then I have no doubts on his vision Insha,Allah we are on right track

Mian sb Qadam Barhao ham ap kay sath hain

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Atif Sarwar Malik July 13, 2013 - 11:56 am

Nawaz Sharif is a visionary leader … those criticizing are short sighted… let the Gawadar to Kashgar coridor complete and Pakistan will be leading this region. Insha Allah this corridor will open new industries new businesses new cities new jobs and take Pakistan to new heights.

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Aneeq Azam October 5, 2016 - 8:12 am

How the hell could you even think that forget nawaz no leader of Pakistan can be compared to mr. Jinah everyone who calls nawaz good is one of those bastard that live in other countries who don’t give a shit I’m not saying everyone who dosent live in pakistan is bad I myself live in canada but the ones that don’t care about the country are nawaz supporters and of course maryam nawaz would call him good health is filling her ass up with money in my personal experience nawaz should not only get of the leader seat but should be executed

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Imran Ahmed October 5, 2016 - 12:10 pm

I voted for PTI but I am so glad that PMLN won instead and that our present PM has been steering my country out of trouble. We should be grateful for the small but steady incremental successes of this government and the stability that even a defective democracy has to offer over military or mullah rule.

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Khalid October 6, 2016 - 8:12 pm

Its a good write and reading it now just shows NS has stood good on his promises and showed patince against all provocations and distraction.
He is no Jinnah who founded a country against all odds but. Yes he can prove to be most significant leader that contributed to maing Pakistan better and stronger….also against all odds and after worst of times. May ALLAH protect him for Pakistan.

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Malik Hashim October 23, 2016 - 5:34 pm

No one comes close to the Quaid

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Abdul December 26, 2017 - 1:10 pm

Oh Noooo
.
O my God
.
What had happened
.
Y i didnt die b4 se Shair
.
shair ko daikha cheer ky tau nikla kutta sair sai
.
Do u know what happend guys or STOP FALLOW what u wrote….????

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Muhammad kamran August 24, 2018 - 8:09 pm

no agree….

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Bus Rental Dubai UAE January 12, 2019 - 5:39 pm

Mohammad Ali Jinah was a great leader , there is no comparison with him .

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james anderson February 7, 2019 - 3:59 pm

Mohammad Ali Jinah was a great leader , there is no comparison with him .

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Abu Dhabi Tour from Dubai March 28, 2019 - 9:31 am

Don’t compare Mohammad Ali jinah ever with anyone. he was a great leader

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Khasab Sea Tours March 28, 2019 - 12:47 pm

No way to compare.

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Desert Safari August 4, 2019 - 2:30 pm

Great Information to read on your website…Thank you for your article.

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Jurgen October 13, 2019 - 3:04 pm

This is an amazing article about Pakistan, thanks for such kind article.

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Doramas Online June 21, 2022 - 7:45 pm

No doubt jinah sb was the great leader of pakistan.
but Imran is good than other leaders.
i think he ll be done well now.
INSHAALLAH.

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