As India celebrates yet another democratic transformation, far away on the windswept banks of the Red Sea in the ancient city of Jeddah, one man remains proof of Pakistan’s inability to come to terms with democracy. In a side street off the straight deserted road to Madinah, in one of the guest palaces of the Saudi royal family, former Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif sits in his chandelier-hung study, sipping kahva and looking wistful about a world he has left far behind.‘‘I really admire the beauty of Indian democracy,’’ he says. ‘‘One prime minister is voted out and he quietly leaves without a fuss while another moves into the house. You have a Muslim President and a Sikh Prime Minister. Your democracy has grown and deepened. You should be proud of your democracy.’’ And he even has an interpretation of Sonia Gandhi’s decision not to accept the Prime Ministership. ‘‘It was a masterstroke,’’ Sharif says. ‘‘She has paved the way for her children, either Priyanka or Rahul, to one day become Prime Minister.’’ Sea breezes rustle the ornamental palms outside the tall French windows. Huge photos of Sharif with King Fahd and Crown prince Abdullah hang on the walls. A snappy fleet of Pajeros snarls in the long curving driveway. The palace is huge, with about 10 bedrooms in each of the villas; the entire Sharif family, including his 84-year-old father and brother Shahbaz, have been living here for the past three and- a-half years. Does he miss the subcontinent? Sharif smiles. ‘‘I remember my old friend Atal Behari Vajpayee. A sincere and good man. A well-meaning man and we shared a genuine rapport. I want to tell you that Vajpayee and I had planned 1999 as a year of Peace. But it was not to be. If I had stayed on for another year, we would have solved everything. Vajpayee and I would have resolved Kashmir. But Musharraf betrayed me. He betrayed Vajpayee as well as me.’’ Sharif spent 14 months in solitary confinement in Attock jail, but has since recovered his spirits. He and his family have started a steel mill in Jeddah, part of his Ittefaq group of industries. The Jeddah unit employs about 300 people and is looked after by his eldest son Husain. Wife Kulsum Nawaz wafts in. The velvet curtains sway gently, there are freshly cut flowers in the vases. Sharif obviously lives well. ‘‘I’ve gained a bit of weight,’’ he grins, ‘‘although I work out on the treadmill every day for an hour. For recreation, I read or watch old Hindi movies. I like the Black and White ones best, the new Bollywood ones are terribly vulgar.’’ So will he return to Pakistan soon? ‘‘Of course, I will. There will be an uprising against Musharraf. His popularity is at an all-time low. Benazir and I may find a common agenda to restore democracy. We talk to each other often. Musharraf says the opposition is being run from Dubai and Jeddah, and guess what,’’ he smiles broadly, ‘‘he’s right.’’ He sips his tea and frowns, ‘‘Tell me, why is America supporting a military dictator? I don’t understand! And after the recent American outrages, even people like me and Benazir, liberal progressive people are feeling angry at America. And if a liberal like me is angry, can you imagine what the others feel? “I’ve got a message for your minister of tourism. Renuka? Yah, that’s her. Listen, I want to tell her, to promote subcontinental tourism. Not just Indian. She should have package tours to Indus Valley and Taxila from India. Promote Pakistani tourism in India. When Vajpayee and I talked, we said there would be no visa restrictions between our two countries. None.’’ So what bothers him about foreign policy? ‘‘Frankly,’’ he waves towards the sandwiches, ‘‘the bureaucracy. I totally shut the civil servants up. They always complicate simple matters and don’t let politicians move forward on bold policies.’’ Does Sharif keep in touch with his party workers? ‘‘I’m not allowed to go anywhere by Musharraf, but I maintain contact. When I see how Congress supporters supported Sonia, I thought, that is the way a party should support its leader. So many people turned their backs on me.’’
