Nawaz Sharif, after four years in self-exile, has returned home. And he has returned in pomp and style. Although a convict on bail, he was accorded a royal welcome. All state resources were marshalled to ensure a seamless homecoming for him. Minar-e-Pakistan was decorated with blinding lights and the city of Lahore was bedecked with colourful flags that created a celebratory atmosphere for the former prime minister.

For four years, Nawaz Sharif sitting in London waited for this moment made possible by a fortuitous combination of circumstances. In 2017 Nawaz was ousted from power by the Supreme Court on corruption charges and jailed. He was later granted bail to go abroad for medical treatment. Imran Khan, his bete noire, fell out with the establishment and was removed from office through a no-confidence move in parliament. This cleared the way for an interim coalition government and eventual return of Nawaz Sharif to Pakistan.

All legal hurdles have been removed, and the PML-N chief, who was declared a ‘proclaimed offender”, has been given unprecedented relief. Two days before his arrival, Nawaz Sharif secured protective bail in the Al Azizia and Avenfield references, in which he was convicted, from the Islamabad High Court. The National Accountability Bureau, also found no objections to Nawaz Sharif returning to the country and proceeding directly to a jalsa instead of a courthouse. On the other hand, an Islamabad accountability court suspended a perpetual arrest warrant outstanding against Nawaz Sharif in a graft case involving vehicles taken from the Toshakhana.

In his speech at the Minar-e-Pakistan jalsa, Nawaz Sharif covered a wide range of topics. He tried to sound a conciliatory note but there was an undertone of bitterness in his words. “I never betrayed my people. I always served them, but I was put in jail, and sent into exile, false cases against me, my younger brother, my daughter and other party leaders were instituted, but none of them quit the party.”

“I have forgotten all my grief — but some wounds never heal,” he said. “I could not lay my father and mother in their graves. While in captivity, I had asked the Adiala Jail superintendent to get me connected to my sons in London to inquire after the health of my wife who was in ICU in London, but he did not. Two and half hours later, he told me that my wife had passed away.”

He avoided speaking about the judiciary and military’s transgressions but obliquely referred to the wrongs he suffered in the past. He called for harmony among all constitutional institutions and political players for the betterment of the country. He also announced that he would not “seek revenge” against those involved in his ouster in 2017, marking a shift in the PML-N’s narrative: no accountability of former army chief Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa, ex-ISI head Gen Faiz Hamid and former chief justices Saqib Nisar and Asif Saeed Khosa for their alleged involvement in the fall of the PML-N government.

The PML-N leader spoke of rebuilding Pakistan through peace and reconciliation. He said, “Pakistan’s constitutional institutions, political parties and all other stakeholders need to work together to deal with the challenges we are facing today. Without this, our country will not progress. Let me make it clear that we will have to follow the Constitution to move forward.”

Emphasising the need for good ties with India, he said “We cannot progress by fighting neighbours. We have to introduce an effective foreign policy and maintain good relations with our neighbours, especially as without this the country cannot progress. Pakistan will have to break the begging bowl for good. Even for the Kashmir solution, we will have to work in an honourable way”.

It is clear that Nawaz Sharif has learned from the past and chosen to work within the system. His narrative shift proves this. He has learned that if he steps out of the limit set by the powers that be, he will be ousted. But as some analysts have pointed out, there is a combative streak in Nawaz Sharif which may explode anytime, upsetting the whole applecart.

Big challenges confront the PML-N supremo as he gets down to clearing the economic mess created during 16 months of the PDM government headed by his younger brother. Inflation, unemployment, soaring prices of electricity and gas and articles of daily use have devastated the lives of the common people. While billions have been stashed away by wealthy Pakistanis in foreign banks and in the form of properties, over 60 percent Pakistanis live below the poverty line. Industries have shut down and exports are stagnant. Foreign debt has accumulated to astronomical figures. Ishaq Dar’s formula on which Nawaz Sharif will once again rely is no answer to economic problems Pakistan now faces.

The political scene is another challenge which Nawaz Sharif will have to grapple with. Over the last two years the PML-N has suffered a steep decline in popularity. Public opinion polls are a major indicator of this. The PML-N will have to develop another narrative and show performance to win the support of the young generation who are overwhelmingly in favour of the PTI. A large slice of new young voters has been added to the electoral rolls in recent years. In the 2018 general elections, about 20 million new voters were added. This trend has intensified, with the addition of 21 million new voters in the electoral rolls for 2024. This factor will have a decisive impact on the coming elections.