Opinion: How Nawaz Sharif stands to gain from his choice of prison

A heartwarming picture floating on social media where Nawaz Sharif and his daughter Maryam were seen bidding goodbye to Kulsoom Nawaz attracted a lot of attention. The picture was retweeted by Maryam Nawaz ahead of their departure to Pakistan. It symbolised Sharifs as "true patriots" who were leaving behind their ailing wife/mother for the country's sake.

Maryam Nawaz also posted a video of Nawaz Sharif on Twitter where he said he was returning to Pakistan "for the people of the country" despite knowing that he will be taken straight to the jail. He said that his sacrifice was for the generations to come and that such an opportunity would never come again. He also asked the people to "build the destiny of Pakistan together".

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Hinting at rigging in the upcoming general elections, he questioned the credibility of the polls. Sharif said,"I am doing what I should do, I am taking my struggle forward. I am going to Pakistan, but what credibility is now left of the elections? Who will believe the results?".

A Pakistani journalist defined the former prime minister's move of surrendering before the Pakistan authority and flying back to the country to face the long-term jail imprisonment as a "winning shot".The people of Pakistan will certainly sympathize with Sharifs who have left behind ailing Kulsoom suffering from Cancer to face the verdict against them.

This is for the first time in Pakistan when a convicted political leader has returned to the country to face punishment. Even Benazir Bhutto, one of the most popular leaders of the country, did not return to Pakistan until she signed the National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO) deal with Pervez Musharaff.

The NRO was issued by the former President of Pakistan, General Pervez Musharraf, in 2007 and it granted amnesty to politicians, political workers and bureaucrats who were accused of corruption, embezzlement, money laundering, murder, and terrorism between January 1, 1986, and October 12, 1999, the time between two states of martial law in Pakistan.

Nawaz Sharif's move is perceived as an effort to garner public support for his party Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) -PML(N) ahead of the July 25 general election.

Sharif's party had been facing a military crackdown since his relations with the country's army deteriorated. The Pakistan military has also been making efforts to rig the polls in favour of cricketer turned politician Imran Khan.

The move may prove a setback to the army's effort as popular support seems to have been working in favour of Nawaz.

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)