While the Lahore High Court (LHC) had allowed Shehbaz Sharif to go to London, the government stopped the opposition leader at the airport from leaving the country. The government did not stop Shahid Khaqan Abbasi from going to London despite his name also being in the ECL. The case of Shehbaz Sharif is different. The government is not only trying everything but it can go to any extent to stop Shehbaz Sharif from leaving the country .
One can ask the question that Khaqan Abbasi is a supporter of confrontation with the government still he was allowed to leave. While Shehbaz is a supporter of reconciliation
still he was not allowed to leave, why? The answer is that for the current regime confrontation is not an issue but reconciliation is a crime. That is why we see that for the supporters of confrontation in the opposition, ritualistic statements are issued while for re conciliators no relaxation is being shown. The government sees a re-conciliatory approach from Shehbaz as a biggest threat to it.
Shehbaz has been arrested twice by NAB, unlike others who were arrested just once. When arrested first, Shehbaz got justice from the judiciary and he got bail after a two bench judge of Lahore High Court studied the allegations against him. He went to London for treatment but returned back after the emergence of the first wave of COVID-19, despite warnings from his friends that he would be arrested.
The government did not like Shehbaz’s decision to come back. He was infected but still the government arrested him again. After being in jail for more than 200 days, he is out on bail. Lahore High Court has answered every allegation against Shehbaz in its judgment, clearing him of every charge of corruption.
There is a war going on between the government and Shehbaz Sharif. The government has not been allowing him to play the role of the opposition leader as well. … It is generally believed that Shehbaz does not give tough time to the government. But it is not so. Shehbaz gives the government tough times where it hits hard. When he came to Islamabad after his release, the ambassadors of China and Britain met Shehbaz Sharif. The Chinese ambassador praised Shehbaz for his work. Shehbaz has special relations with Turkey, Saudi Arabia and other important countries.
Despite all propaganda by the government against Shehbaz Sharif, it has not impacted his image in these countries. This is a matter of concern for the government. Shehbaz Sharif is a potential replacement of Imran Khan. That option is possible and acceptable to everyone. That is the biggest threat to the government. That is why Shehbaz is sent jail time and again.