PML-N Senator Mushahid Hussain on Sunday advised party supremo Nawaz Sharif to exhibit “generosity” and pursue a “forward-looking approach” of “forgive, forget and move on” regarding accountability of former army generals.

After four years in London, Nawaz is set to return to Pakistan on October 21. With a month left before his arrival, the PML-N supremo does not seem in any mood to abandon his long-standing demand for the ‘strict accountability’ of generals and judges — former army chief Qamar Javed Bajwa, ex-spymaster Faiz Hamid, and former chief justices Asif Khosa and Saqib Nisar — for their alleged involvement in a ‘conspiracy’ to oust him from power in 2017.

The abrupt change in Nawaz’s stance towards former army generals and retired judges is causing unease among party ranks, with many leaders fearing that such a bold engagement could invite the wrath of the establishment.

Questioned about the matter today during an interview on Dawn News show ‘Doosra Rukh’, Hussain recalled that the late Nelson Mandela had told him that the biggest quality of a statesman was generosity. He said Hazrat Ali had also espoused generosity when it came to justice and revenge.

“Forgive, forget [and] move on. There should be a forward-looking approach. If you get stuck in the past, yes there should be accountability, Nawaz’s anger is justified,” the senator said.

However, he advised the PML-N chief against opting for what was a “tried, tested and failed formula”.

Hussain also questioned the outcome of PML-N government’s accountability proceedings against former military dictator Pervez Musharraf. “He was protected by the military establishment, provided security and given a safe exit during our own government and you were helpless,” the senator recalled.

“The military establishment in Pakistan will protect its chief, no matter how controversial he is … he will be given full military honours. They will not allow — till now this situation has not come about, I cannot say about tomorrow — that they allow some outsider — a civilian — to try their soldier.”

The senator said there were “ups and downs” in life and a politician should look at what was in the national and public interest. “If you get trapped in this [process of vengeance] then you won’t be able to govern,” Hussain said, warning that if affairs continued the same way, then “there will be a military coup.”

Not only PML-N leaders, but some former allies have also been asking the elder Sharif to have a change of heart in his stance.

Both the PPP and the Istehkham-i-Pakistan Party (IPP) have dropped a word of caution to the Sharifs in this regard.

PPP senior leader Khursheed Shah on Saturday had advised the elder Sharif against seeking action against Gen Bajwa and Gen Hamid. In an interview on DawnNewsTV, Shah said the PML-N’s plan to go after the two former military leaders seemed “very difficult”.

“Did anyone touch the man who was sentenced under Article 6 of the Constitution? He was later hospitalised, and subsequently transferred to Dubai,” Shah had remarked, referring to late military dictator Musharraf. “Let’s refrain from engaging in such conflicts,” he had said.

IPP Patron Jahangir Tareen also wants the elder Sharif to let go of his feud with ex-generals. “Nawaz Sharif shouldn’t name personalities, especially Gen Bajwa and an incumbent SC judge who is going to be the future chief justice of Pakistan for his politics,” Tareen had advised.