Former prime minister Nawaz Sharif recently expressed his disappointment with people, adding that they did not rise up when he, an elected prime minister, was ousted from power.

Many analysts believe that Sharif was kicked out from the power corridors of Islamabad for allegedly picking a fight with the powers that be, but his unceremonious departure was never vehemently protested. On the contrary, it was celebrated by his detractors who accused him of corruption and poor governance.

Many might justify these complaints arguing that Pakistani people tend to buy the propaganda of ‘invisible powers’ who not only control the media but have always dominated the mainstream narrative. They are the ones manufacturing a lethal propaganda against politicians branding them corrupt, incompetent and illiterate.

Besides ordinary people, the intelligentsia, especially the Urdu media, also accepted the corruption narrative. Some celebrities also threw their support behind these powers, creating a negative impression against the political class.

This is not to suggest that the political class did not commit any mistakes, but it should also be acknowledged that they were never given a free hand. They were allowed to rule but never permitted to exercise the authority that rests with them constitutionally and whenever they tried to exert this authority, they were sent packing. The 1950s are just one example to show how frequently the country’s chief executives were kicked out from office in a disgraceful manner.

After the dark era of General Ziaul Haq, some expected that the powers that be must have learnt a lesson and would not create hurdles in the way of democratic forces. But first an artificial alliance was formed to counter Benazir Bhutto and later political forces were pitted against each other. Consequently, no party could complete its........

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