UPDATED: JULY 13, 2017 18:14 IS
According to Zahid Hussain of Dawn, Sharif's fate has hung in the balance since the ruling of the five-member bench in May this year. Although he narrowly escaped disqualification, the formation of the JIT indicated that he was not out of the woods.
Hussain argues: "Although he appears defiant, the options for Sharif are now limited. He may still stay prime minister until the court ruling, but he has already lost political and moral authority. Any confrontation would not only be disastrous for the government but also for the democratic political process. Confronted with serious domestic and external challenges, the country cannot afford worsening political uncertainty and instability."
Prime Minister's party, PML-N, can still survive in power and complete its five-year term by electing a new leader and prepare for the next elections that are only months away. That is the only way that the political uncertainty can end, Hussain concluded.
Sharif's loss may strengthen army, has India worried
A serious setback to Pakistani PM Nawaz Sharif following the disclosure that his daughter and
putative heir apparent, Maryam Sharif, had concealed ownership of the family's
offshore assets and companies threatens to create new security complications
for India, the Times of India said Thursday.
If the SC decides to implement the report, perhaps by next week, Sharif might
either be removed or, at the very least, be rendered completely ineffectual.
This could have implications for India in the coming weeks and months,
particularly in the security sphere, the Indian newspaper said.
"India and Pakistan barely have any official interactions any more. The
walk-by greeting between PM Narendra Modi and Sharif in Astana (capital of
Kazakhstan) epitomized the state of ties, which does not go beyond pleasantries,"
the Times of India said adding:
"But while the loss of Sharif is unlikely to strike a blow at bilateral
ties, a change of regime at this time might mean that there will be new players
in Islamabad, too new to matter, leaving the job of governance and foreign
policy to the army brass in Rawalpindi. However, the dominant opinion holds
that JIT's findings have severely weakened Sharif's position by cutting his
avenues of deniability, something which can be a source of worry for India. The
outcome of the Sharif investigation and the resultant instability holds out the
old red flags."
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