Politics of personal glory

The article shows how Punjab, the heart of Pakistan, has been reduced to a political dynasty’s playground. What should be a government of the people has become a family business run behind closed doors in Murree, where policy decisions are whispered over tea among Sharif family members. The author pulls no punches while exposing the brazen self-glorification campaigns that plaster the province with Maryam Nawaz’s life-sized posters and refer to her as Madr-i-Millat a title that reeks of authoritarian mimicry. This isn’t governance; it’s a personality cult paid for by taxpayer money. From renaming projects to running sycophantic ad campaigns, the Sharifs seem to be rewriting the playbook of political vanity. What’s more disturbing is how a Supreme Court ruling against such misuse of state funds is being blatantly ignored, turning democracy into a farce and Punjab into a fiefdom. The real kicker? The public mandate seems like a smokescreen, with the real puppeteers hidden behind the curtain of a hybrid regime.

But that’s not where the story ends because it only gets murkier. The article walks us through the rollercoaster comeback of a family once disgraced and disqualified, now comfortably back in power thanks to backroom dealings and establishment blessings. Nawaz Sharif, once waving the banner of “respect the vote,” now watches silently as that very vote gets trampled under the boots of manipulation. His disqualifications? Magically overturned. Convictions? Vanished like smoke. The article doesn’t mince words when it says this isn’t democracy, it’s a managed script with the same old actors playing new roles. The return of the Sharifs isn’t just a political comeback; it’s a cautionary tale of how power, once lost, can be regained not through the people’s will, but through the shifting sands of elite interests. It reminds us that when politics becomes personal theatre, the nation ends up paying the ticket price.

Overview:

This article critically dissects how political power in Punjab has become synonymous with the Sharif family’s personal ambitions. It outlines how state machinery is being used to glorify individuals instead of serving the public, and it paints a sobering picture of how democracy is slowly being hollowed out by unchecked dynastic politics and establishment manipulation.

NOTES:

The article paints a disturbing picture of how Punjab’s governance has been hijacked by dynastic politics, with the Sharif family firmly at the helm. It highlights how important policy decisions are no longer made through institutional mechanisms but are instead handled within private family meetings in Murree. A major focus is the Sharif-led provincial government’s obsession with personal glorification, evident through widespread ad campaigns, renaming of public projects, and life-sized images of Maryam Nawaz, some even labelling her as Madr-i-Millat. All of this is allegedly bankrolled by taxpayers. The article criticises this excessive self-promotion, calling it reminiscent of authoritarian regimes. It also recalls a 2022 Supreme Court verdict that explicitly forbade such practices, declaring that public officials should not use state positions for personal or partisan gains. The article further delves into Nawaz Sharif’s controversial return to politics after a lifetime ban and multiple corruption convictions, noting how his disqualifications were mysteriously reversed and his party reinstated to power with behind-the-scenes support from the establishment. Rather than standing by democratic principles like “respect the vote,” Nawaz appears content with playing a background role, while his daughter takes the spotlight in Punjab’s governance. The piece concludes by warning that this type of manipulated and hollow political structure erodes the foundations of democracy and exposes the dangers of politics driven by personal ambition rather than public service.

Relevant to the CSS syllabus or subjects:

• Pakistan Affairs: Dynastic rule, Punjab’s political structure, institutional erosion
• Current Affairs: Governance crisis, hybrid regime, electoral manipulation
• Political Science: Democracy vs authoritarianism, state legitimacy
• Essay Paper: Power and accountability, political ethics, democratic decay

Notes for beginners:

The article talks about how the Sharif family, instead of running Punjab like a government, is treating it like their private company. For example, they’re naming government projects after themselves and putting up huge posters with their faces using public money. Even though the courts said this is wrong, it’s still happening. Nawaz Sharif was banned from politics in 2017, but somehow came back, had all his cases dropped, and now his daughter is running the biggest province. That’s not how democracy is supposed to work. It’s like if your school principal was fired for cheating, but then came back and made their own daughter the new principal. It just doesn’t sit right.

Facts and Figures:

• Nawaz Sharif was disqualified for life by the Supreme Court in 2018
• The Sharif family faced multiple graft charges and jail terms
• Maryam Nawaz is now the first woman Chief Minister of Punjab
• Supreme Court’s 2022 ruling forbade using public resources for self-promotion
• Posters naming Maryam as Madr-i-Millat have been seen across Punjab
• The ruling party is accused of running ads with public funds for political mileage

To sum up, this article highlights the cracks of Pakistan’s political system and asks hard questions about who really holds power and why. It calls out the hypocrisy of political actors who cry foul when out of office but happily dance to the tune of power when back in it. For anyone preparing for the CSS exam or just trying to understand how politics in Pakistan really works, this is a must-read. It teaches us that true leadership isn’t built on billboards or TV ads but it’s earned through service, integrity, and accountability.

Difficult Words and Their Meanings:

1. Fiefdom – Territory controlled by one person or family

Synonym: Domain | Antonym: Democracy

2. Self-glorification – Excessive praise of oneself

Synonym: Narcissism | Antonym: Humility

3. Mandate – Official permission or support to govern

Synonym: Authority | Antonym: Illegitimacy

4. Aggrandizement – Making someone seem more powerful or important

Synonym: Elevation | Antonym: Humbling

5. Hybrid regime – A political system combining democratic and authoritarian traits

Synonym: Pseudo-democracy | Antonym: Liberal democracy

6. Partisan – Strongly supporting one side, often unfairly

Synonym: Biased | Antonym: Neutral