Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s Advisor on Political Affairs, Rana Sanaullah, recently revealed that the Army Chief has expressed concerns over the lack of trials for those involved in the May 9 incidents. Sanaullah suggested that if these trials had taken place, the violent events of November 26 might have been prevented.
Speaking in an interview on Friday evening, Sanaullah pointed out that the Army Chief’s dissatisfaction is mainly directed at the Supreme Court and its judges, rather than the government. He criticized the judiciary for issuing numerous letters without making significant progress on the cases. “Had the trials been conducted, the 26th November incident might not have occurred,” Sanaullah remarked, highlighting the link between the failure to prosecute the perpetrators of the May 9 events and the subsequent unrest.
Regarding the political situation, Sanaullah also addressed the ongoing tensions with Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI). He claimed that PTI, particularly after the events of November 26, has suffered irreversible damage. He warned that any potential civil disobedience movement initiated by PTI would likely fail. “If they now start a civil disobedience movement, it will fail miserably,” he said, noting that PTI’s earlier protests had already been called off after three days of unrest.
On the topic of negotiations with PTI, Sanaullah criticized the party’s approach, calling its negotiation team a “non-starter” and questioning how meaningful dialogue could happen when preconditions were set. He emphasized that the only solution to political disputes is through open political dialogue.
When asked about Senator Faisal Vawda’s remarks regarding a new political setup, Sanaullah dismissed them as stemming from personal ambition. “Some individuals are favorites of the system, but they cannot operate outside it. They do not represent the system,” he said. He went on to suggest that Prime Minister Sharif should consider giving Vawda a role in the government, as he had been forgotten after being made a senator.
