Mian Nawaz Sharif’s monumental success in political arena is not entirely owed to his good luck and accidental breakthroughs. Credit must surely be given to his shrewd opportunism and single-mindedness in pursuit of his ambitions. Of course he himself knows that his IQ level is not exceptional, and he has surrounded himself with pseudo-intellectuals— the likes of Atta ul Haq Qasmi, Nazir Naji and Irfan Siddiqui. But I am a firm believer in the dictum that mental absolutism is the key to success. Unless you are fired by an unwavering ambition, you are unlikely to go very far on the road to success. Mian Nawaz Sharif, I personally have known, even in his early political life had harboured the dream of going to the very top. I clearly remember a conversation between him, myself and Shoaib Hashmi that had taken place in my office in the middle of September 1984. I was heading Midas then, and Shoaib Hashmi was our Creative Director. Munnoo Bhai was also present.
We were discussing various ideas regarding how to launch MNS in electoral politics. MNS was Punjab’s Finance Minister at that time. He had, in June 1981, inaugurated Midas in company of the-then Federal Minister of Information Raja Zafar ul Haque.
It was to be the very first electoral exposure of MNS.
“I personally believe a good photograph will be a key to the publicity campaign— a picture in which Mian Sahib looks really intelligent and thoughtful,” I remember having said. Hashmi Sahib had promptly agreed. “Surely. We will need a long photography session to get such a snap.”
“If Mian Sahib agrees to spend a hundred millions on advertising, we can make him even the prime minister of Pakistan,” I had remarked light-heartedly. “Such is the power of advertising”
To this, Mian Sahib had replied with an amused and confident smile: “Who says I will not be Pakistan’s prime minister one day? And I am a firm believer in the power of advertising. That is why I am here Akbar Sahib.”
These were to be prophetic words. MNS never looked back. The reason I am writing all this is to throw light on the importance MNS has always given to advertising and propaganda in the pursuit of his ambitions. There have been two objectives always behind Mian Sahib’s exploits in this arena.
Number one: To build his image as a committed performer.
Number two: To tarnish the image of all his rivals in the political arena.
In the nineties, it was BB who came under fire and was the target of various character assassination campaigns.
Mian Sahib’s Character Assassination Team effectively made Asif Ali Zardari, BB’s Achelles’ heel.
There was a cell for this purpose. Ironically it was Hussein Haqqani who initially was the head of this cell. Later on Pervaiz Rasheed and Khalil Malik etc took over. It was this cell that as early as 1996-97 got engaged in making Imran Khan a target of various scandal-mongering exercises. MNS had realised as early as that, that IK, politically a non-entity at that time, would become a serious threat to his power and ambitions.
Till this day Imran Khan remains the target of Mian’s various teams— headed by the likes of Pervaiz Rasheed and Maryam Nawaz Sharif.
Tons of money are available to the cells that target IK’s integrity and reputation on the one hand, and the unity of the PTI as a party on the other hand.
Mian Sahib’s formula for success is simple.
Destroy each one who has the potential to be a threat to your power.
