Showing posts with label The News. Show all posts
Showing posts with label The News. Show all posts

35 punctures - the real story

35 punctures - the real story


Now now, I might not have followed the 35 punctures story last year, but that doesn’t mean I can’t be up at 3:30 in the morning to write about it.

But first, how many of you saw Friday’s Aapas Ki Baat? What a show! Watch it if you haven’t already, and if possible watch it in 3D with a bag of caramel popcorn, ice-cream soda and dark glasses. This bucket has fireworks babes.

But the real reason I am doing my early morning rise and shine is not the fireworks or the punctures, but the various shades of logic that emerge on my Twitter timeline as one PTI supporter after another talks deep stuff about the story.

I think Najam Sethi should write a bestseller and call it Fifty Shades of Bray, and dedicate it to the PTI youth supporters on Twitter. Seriously people, Pakistani youth on Twitter supporting what is increasingly becoming quite a hotchpotch of twists and (u) turns is worth monitoring if truth is to be told about how the young people of Pakistan think these days.

This mass production of youth, educated by the unregulated private schooling mafia, is being herded by a party that’s increasingly becoming infested with confusions and contradictions (and yes U-turns)! To think that these young people will soon be let loose on the future of Pakistan. These young people who are so devoid of logical reasoning, and so reluctant to question their sacred gods that it scares me to think that these are the decision-makers of our future generations. What a time bomb waiting to detonate on us.

So trying to be useful at 3am, I very carefully analyse this raw data and categorise it into 35 categories (this is me trying to be ironic). I hereby present to you my very own version of the PTI’s 35 punctures.

Punctures no 1-5: The complete denial category. Remember what Meera once said to Mubashir Luqman with a very straight face? “This is a fack video.” Similarly there is a type of PTI supporters that is in complete denial about the party’s human follies. These are the conspiracy theorists, the soothsayers, the I-know-better guys, the time-will-tell people, and the IK-can-do-no-wrong crowd. “This in nothing but IK’s wisdom laying eggs”, they say. “You just wait and see”. And for special effect they start their tweets in the name of all that is holy and end them with some very colourful adjectives all in 140 characters.

Puncture no 6-10: The partial denial clique. This is the group that comprises the haters, the completely stubborn, the completely smitten, the completely loyal and the completely idiotic. Though reluctantly they all admit that the 35 punctures story lacks evidence so far, but what does it matter right? Even if it was without evidence Geo is still bad and Najam Sethi is still evil, and this is the theme we are always sticking to – even if IK ditches us and does solo interviews on Geo and later goes kite flying with Najam Sethi in the meadows. #U-turn.

Puncture no 11: Let’s change the topic puncture. This is the group that simply answers all questions with a single-track approach. We will talk about metro and we will talk about patwaris, and when all else fails we will talk about tabdeeli. #Bhabi please RT. Oye! Idiot. #achasorry

Puncture no 12-13: The accuser and the abuser. Oye, puncture vuncture whatever, but look at the lifafa journalists and look at the funding coming from India and look at this four letter word here, yes. #censorthishashtag. Done. Bhabi please RT #Iheartyou.

Puncture no 14-16: The artist, the peacemaker and the Photoshop guys. These are the talented ones amongst the PTI supporters and they believe in peace through art and craft (mostly Photoshop). What 35 punctures you idiots, they will say. Look here is a picture of Khan, and look how handsome he looks wearing a Superman costume and riding an SSG falcon while shooting 35 arrows on an American flag hoisted on a cricket bat doing Kung Fu with an Indian pigeon with 35 beaks. #onlyhope.

Puncture no 17-18: Puncture the traitor-slayer. Well since the puncture story has been debunked, let’s blame it all on India. Or else check out what’s happening in the Middle East. #35 punctures chor do, char halqay khol do.

Puncture no 19: The ultimate matchmaker puncture. East or west, Sheikh Rasheed is the best. IK Sheikh Rasheed bhai bhai. #saynotopride.

Puncture no 20: The hashtag generator. This by far is the most dangerous of the puncture category because it’s called ‘let’s divert everybody’s attention with an irrelevant hashtag’. Please for the love of God, PTI you are very good at starting trends on the social media. Please be responsible with what you generate. Sometimes #wehateNawazSharif has got nothing to do with the answers we want from your leaders.

Puncture no 21: The real-issue guys. These are the super sanguine people and all they have to say is chaddo jee, the real issue is not 35 punctures, but the real issue is the PCB appointment and the more real issue is Lola the showgirl. What about that, hain jee? #Copacabana #stupidmedia.

Puncture no 23-25: The moral brigade, the IK worshippers, and the let’s forgive IK advocates: These are the factions who have a lot of moral values especially for Sethi and are constantly micro-blogging short sermons in multiple instalments about how a journalist should never talk about personal stuff in a program and should never cast aspersions on the national integrity of a national leader no matter how much aspersions are cast on the non-national integrity of a non-leader national. #NoonLeagueHaiHai #PleaseforgiveIK. #BasAikGhaltiAur.

Puncture no 26-31: The clueless mafia. This is the category that is basically just that. Clueless. They are a herd of goats and this is how they operate. If no 26 is overjoyed that at last the 35 puncture story has been proven right (because he had a dream about it) then no 27-31 are overjoyed too and are already tweeting national anthems about it with hashtag: PTI ki shaan Bhabi Jaan. #Let’sbanShirinMazari.

Puncture no 32: The misogynist and the Malala hater. #MyLipsAreSealed.

Puncture no 33: The poet puncture. So this is the poetry this person is writing the moment he sees Aapas ki Baat. Roses are red, violets are blue. I love IK but IK loves you. (Bhabi please RT)

Puncture 34: The ‘let’s tweet like Bhabi’ puncture. Don’t you dare make fun of my hubby. My hubby will ban you. My hubby is the one hero produced in the country. #selfie on a prayer mat #IAmNotEnteringPolitics. #BhabiMakesPoliticalSpeech

Puncture 35: The ‘let’s talk like IK’ puncture. Five days ago: Oye. Meri wife politics main kabhi nain aaye gee. Five days later: Oye. Meri wife politics main aa nahi rahi… aa gaee hai. #IKIsTheMan.

On a serious note, PTI, darling, say something. I’m giving up on you (courtesy: The Great Big World). I still remember the first time I met the core members of the PTI all together in a room and my first reaction was: these are the people who represent me and mine. Middle class, educated, hardworking, honest, wanting a prosperous Pakistan because they believe in it not because they want something from it. 

And now I look at the PTI’s fast-changing image and I wonder if I was too naïve all along. There is nothing wrong about Reham Khan becoming the official face of a party that says no to family politics. Spouses all over the world do make public appearances. But the new kind of photo-ops that emerge on the media are largely overshadowing the PTI’s purposeful, intelligent, profound image of the past. When earlier we thought about the PTI, we thought about people like Andaleeb Abbas and Asad Umar, Dr Yasmeen and Shafqat Mahmood. Now it’s as if the seriousness of purpose has suddenly turned into a farce. 

A very bad caricature of its original self, the PTI is just an overly exposed jumble of controversies and confusions, silly statements, self praise, frivolity, and zero tolerance for dissent. As a firm believer of the PTI’s core values, I don’t see the party ever losing its support because Imran Khan’s star factor will always pull it up, but if the promise of real change has to be fulfilled then gloating over popularity should not be enough. 

Don’t isolate the more idealistic core of PTI supporters. Do away with the plastic. Bring the genuineness back. Bring the clarity back. Bring the honesty back. Bring the fire back. #IKpleaseRT.

The writer is an MSc candidate at the University of Oxford. 

Email: adiahafraz@gmail.com

Pooya gives lie to 35 punctures story

Pooya gives lie to 35 punctures story



ISLAMABAD: Religious leader and media personality Agha Murtaza Pooya on Tuesday denied that the US ambassador in Pakistan had told him about the ‘35 punctures’ by former caretaker Chief Minister of Punjab Najam Sethi in the context of the 2013 general elections. “It’s a downright lie. The American ambassador had never told me any such thing,” Agha Pooya told The News. “I vehemently deny any conversation between me and the US envoy in Islamabad on this issue.”


Pooya’s name came into the light when on Tuesday PTI leader Naeemul Haq said the American ambassador had told Agha Pooya that an American agency had taped a conversation between Najam Sethi and Mian Nawaz Sharif in which Najam Sethi had talked about 35 punctures.

“I deny all this. The American ambassador had never told me any such thing. In fact, he never talked to me on this matter,” said Pooya. The story of 35 punctures was first concocted by one Ejaz Hussain, an England-based person, who in his e-mail to ARY’s Mubashir Luqman coined this and declared Dr Shahid Masud a liar in the context of his claim of breaking the non-existent issue of 35 punctures.

In his recent private conversation with an important figure, American Ambassador Richard Olson also confirmed having not talked about 35 punctures and taping of such conversation between Najam Sethi and Mian Nawaz Sharif.

PTI leader Imran Khan has constantly been accusing Najam Sethi of making 35 punctures and even linked Sethi with the award of PCB media rights to Geo just for the sake of mudslinging.The media rights to Geo were awarded through a transparent process and the PCB Media Rights Committee, which awarded this contract, was headed by former ICC chief Ehsan Mani.

Ehsan Mani is also the Chairman of the Audit Committee of Shaukat Khanum Cancer Hospital, Lahore. However, when Najam Sethi appeared before the Judicial Commission headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan, Imran Khan’s counsel did not ask or raise any question about 35 punctures to the utmost surprise of all.

Imran Khan has been accusing Najam Sethi on public forums, media and everywhere but his legal counsel did not raise the question of 35 punctures before the Judicial Commission on Monday when Najam Sethi appeared as a witness.

On his part, Najam Sethi did file a defamation suit against Imran Khan and Dr Shahid Masud.After Imran’s repeated non-appearance in this case, the court fined him Rs5,000. However, after paying the fine, Imran Khan’s lawyers sought more time for reply, which he has not filed with the court yet.

Dr Shahid Masud, however, took a new stand that he was repeating what Imran Khan was saying. With Pooya’s categorical denial, the balloon of lies relating to 35 punctures has been punctured and now Imran Khan and those who concocted all this have become a laughing stock.

FIR against IMRAN , SHEEDA and Ijaz CH against attacking GEO NEWS REPORTERS


 
LAHORE: Civil Lines Police have registered a case against Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Chairman Imran Khan, Awami Muslim League President Sheikh Rashid Ahmad, PTI Punjab President Ijaz Chaudhry, Mian Mehmoodur Rasheed and dozens of other party activists for abusing, hurling threats and attacking Geo News senior reporter Amin Hafeez, anchorperson Sana Mirza, and other workers of the channel at Charing Cross, The Mall, during the PTI protest on Dec 15.


The FIR No 726/2014 has been registered under sections 354, 506, 294, and 109 on an application of Lahore Press Club President Arshad Ansari.

According to details, Amin Hafeez, Sana Mirza, Geo News cameraperson Khwaja Amir, another TV channel A-Lite anchorperson Uzma Khan, cameraperson Muhammad Ameen, and Khurram Sindhu were present at Charing Cross on the said day for coverage of PTI strike call event, when dozens of Tehreek-e-Insaf activists besieged them. They started raising slogans against Geo News. Some unidentified activists started hurling threats and abuses at the Geo News staff.

The infuriated PTI people attacked Amin Hafeez, Sana Mirza and Khwaja Amir with rocks and marbles using slings. Amin Hafeez was injured in the attack and was taken to Mayo Hospital for treatment.

Other channel staff anchorperson Uzma Khan, cameraperson Muhammad Ameen and Khurram Sindhu were attacked with clubs. Videos and pictures of the incident were also available as evidence and the culprits could be identified with their help.

The complainant said the incident occurred due to provoking speeches of Imran Khan, Sh Rashid, Ijaz Chaudhry and Mian Mehmoodur Rasheed.

Can Imran change?

Can Imran change?

Prime Minister Narendra Modi would be justified in conferring India’s highest civilian award, the Bharat Ratna, on Imran Khan. Last Sunday at the PTI rally in Islamabad Imran threatened to shut down Lahore on December 4, Faisalabad on December 8, Karachi on December 12, and, finally all of Pakistan by December 16 if his demands were not met.

The Bharat Ratna was instituted in 1954, and, in the 60 years since then it has been conferred on only two foreigners – Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan (1890-1988) in 1987 and Nelson Mandela (1918-2013) in 1990. Mother Teresa (1910-1997) also received the honour in 1980 but she had become a naturalised citizen of India. However, Imran Khan stands out in a category by himself in promoting India’s national security and foreign policy priorities.

His container-top rhetorical outburst in Islamabad on November 30 was one of the many outlandish statements that Imran is in the habit of making. The next day the vice chairman of the PTI, former foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, told the media that the Lahore event had been postponed to December 15 and countrywide demonstrations would now be held on December 18.

He was also at pains to explain that by ‘shut down’ Imran Khan had never meant that the major cities and the entire country would come to a grinding halt. What had been planned were massive rallies on the thoroughfares of important urban centres and business transactions would not be disrupted. 

In the rough and tumble of politics, leaders sometimes say and do absurd things. Shah Mahmood Qureshi is particularly adept in making notoriously inaccurate statements. His claim that commercial life will not be interrupted by the huge PTI demonstrations in the major cities of Pakistan defies logic. But Qureshi has always been a dreamer and his imagination often runs riot because of his inability to think things through rationally. 

Subsequently, he told the media on Tuesday that the PTI could consider postponing the launch of countrywide protests if the government agreed to resume the stalled negotiations on his party’s demands. Though this has been readily conceded it is far from certain what the eventual outcome will be. 

Imran Khan has probably realised that he was carried away by his own rhetoric. He has admittedly galvanised massive public support as was evident from the unprecedented turnout at the rally in Islamabad. But it is just not possible for the PTI alone to paralyse the entire country, or, for that matter even the major cities. Imran has bitten off more than he can possibly chew, and this is what has prompted the offer of negotiations with the government.

Politics is a game of snakes and ladders where the main players are serpents. The Pakistani variety is particularly deadly and will go to any extent to reach the top even if this implies damaging national interests and disgracing the country before foreigners.

Last week Imran Khan proudly told thousands of his supporters: “I made it clear to the Chinese ambassador that we have no objection to Chinese companies doing business here, but we want to make sure that the Sharif family doesn’t have any personal stakes in these businesses – that’s simply not acceptable.” 

But the PTI leader is not the only politician to have stooped so low as to malign his own government before an envoy of a country that has taken a decision to invest heavily in Pakistan. The sense of national pride and self-respect often falls by the wayside in the frenzied race for power. 

Thus barely three years back at the height of the Memogate affair, then prime minister Yousuf Raza Gilani told a correspondent of the Peoples’ Daily of China that the former COAS General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani and the director general of the ISI at the time, Lt Gen Ahmed Shuja Pasha, had violated the constitution and had acted illegally by submitting affidavits to the Supreme Court on the scandal without the approval of the government.

This is probably without parallel as never before has any sitting prime minister gone to the extent of vilifying his own army chief and head of intelligence in an interview to foreign correspondent. Even worse, the accusations were made at a time when General Kayani was on an official visit to Beijing and had been received by the Chinese premier. 

The shame and embarrassment that had been caused to the country was of little consequence to the prime minister who justified his disgraceful comments by claiming that the interview had taken place after the COAS’ return to Pakistan. 

Three times prime minister, Nawaz Sharif has been even more indiscreet in his dealings with foreign correspondents. In an interview to Kim Barker, the Chicago Tribune’s South Asia bureau chief from 2004 to 2009, he disclosed that Ajmal Kasab, the only terrorist involved in the Mumbai attacks to be captured alive was from Faridkot, a small town in the Okara district. In her 2011 book, The Taliban Shuffle, Barker writes: “For us, this was big news – a senior Pakistani confirming what the government had publicly denied: The attackers were from Pakistan.”

At other places the author succumbs to journalistic sensationalism. For instance Barker claims that during one of her several meetings with Nawaz Sharif, he said: “I’m fat and I’m old. But I would still like to be your friend.” In February this year there were reports in the international media that the book will be adapted as a feature film, and on June 30 Paramount Pictures announced that it had short-listed directors. 

The Wikileaks cables show that Maulana Fazlur Rehman approached US Ambassador Anne Patterson, who was accredited to Pakistan from 2007 to 2010, and sought her help in becoming prime minister. In return he promised to promote American interests in the country. 

The crooning leader of the MQM, Altaf Hussain, who provides frequent entertainment through his speeches from far away London, went to the extent of writing to the British prime minister on September 23, 2001 urging the dissolution of the ISI. The letter, which was delivered to 10 Downing Street by Nirj Deva currently a member of the European parliament for Southeast England, reads: “The ISI secret agency must be disbanded otherwise it will continue to produce many Osama bin Ladens and Talibans in (the) future.”

Such is the depressingly low integrity of those who arrogate to themselves the role of leaders. Despite their claims, none of them are capable of transforming the country. Even then, Imran Khan emerges as the best out of a bad lot but the problem is that he has an undergraduate mentality. 

If the PTI leader really wants to establish a ‘new Pakistan,’ he will first have to change himself. This has to be followed by rectifying the fundamental flaw in the 18th Amendment by instituting constitutional checks and balances in the powers of the president and the prime minister. Without this there cannot be any real transformation of the country.

Imran Khan’s plan to shut down Pakistan is crass stupidity. He and the leaders of the other political parties have failed the country in the past. But is there any genuine remorse for the bleeding wounds they have inflicted on the nation? Have they reformed? Or is a new force, yet incipient, emerging that can put the country back on the track of political, economic and social equilibrium?

In the last seven years there has been significant change inasmuch as an independent judiciary has been restored. The massive popular outpouring prompted by Pervez Musharraf’s March 9, 2007 presidential reference against the former chief justice, Iftikhar Chaudhry, led to the latter’s reinstatement on July 20. The political parties were mere bystanders in the countrywide lawyer-led upsurge. 

This was the first sign of a spontaneous wakening of civil society from its slumber and could have been harnessed into a popular political force. But the opportunity was squandered. Can Imran Khan reignite such a movement? Till now he has only said and done silly things. Will he change? Or is this only a forlorn hope?

The writer is the publisher of Criterion Quarterly.

Email: iftimurshed@gmail.com

Imran made to quit as chancellor of UK University


 
ISLAMABAD: November 30, 2014 was the last day of Imran Khan as the chancellor of the UK-based University of Bradford, as the cricketer-turned-politician was compelled by the influential students union of the university to quit the coveted slot because of his continued failure to carry out his duties as the chancellor.

After Imran did not attend a single graduation ceremony in Bradford University since 2010, a Pakistani law student, Mohsin Tanweer, floated a motion against him on February 25, 2014, asking him to step down.

The motion, which was taken up by the secretary of the students union [Rich Cullen], said most of the university students were unhappy with the fact that they had been denied the opportunity to engage with the chancellor on a regular basis.

The motion said Imran Khan had continuously missed the graduation ceremonies, which was his top duty as the honorary chancellor. The motion added that it was time for the senior university management and Imran Khan himself to seriously consider whether he was capable of continuing the role with the commitment that such a prestigious role, like chancellor, entails.

Calling for a new figurehead, the motion said Imran should choose between his political career and his position at the university. “It is best for both the parties that he stand down,” the motion concluded.

The motion was set to be voted on by the students union on March 10, 2014 which was most likely to be passed by majority, which would have been a huge embarrassment for Imran Khan who was appointed the chancellor in 2005. His formal duties, along with promoting the university internationally, included conferring degrees on students at two annual congregations over five days. As a last ditch effort to save Imran, the Vice-Chancellor of Bradford University, Brian Cantor, intervened, asking students to show sympathy.

“Our chancellor has a major political role in Pakistan, a country which has some serious problems with terrorism, education and poverty. While I fully understand that it is frustrating for students that Imran has not attended an award ceremony at Bradford for some time, I have urged students to be sympathetic to the situation in Pakistan and the responsibility Imran has to improving the state of the country,” the vice chancellor had added.

However, the students union refused to review the decision as most students were adamant to go ahead with the no-trust motion against Imran. Realising the gravity of the situation, Imran finally agreed to resign as the chancellor of the University of Bradford, citing his “increasing political commitments”.

Brian Cantor thus informed the students union that Imran will step down on November 30, 2014 as the honorary chancellor of the university. The no-trust motion was subsequently dropped. In a letter written to the university management, Imran Khan stated: “It has been my honour to serve as chancellor of the University of Bradford. This has been a rewarding and informative experience and one that I will cherish.

“However, my increasing political commitments and my fundraising work with the Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital and the Namal College have made it increasingly challenging for me to give the kind of time commitments required as the Chancellor.”

He was the fifth chancellor of Bradford University. His predecessors include Prime Minister Harold Wilson, who conferred 21,000 degrees during his 19 years in the post from its founding in 1966 and was said to have rarely missed a ceremony. And it was a mere coincidence that Imran’s resignation as the chancellor became effective on November 30, 2014 – the day he once again marched on Islamabad to get rid of the Nawaz Sharif government.

The Bradford University management has not yet finalised the name of the new honorary chancellor. Approached for comments, a senior PTI leader refuted the notion that the no-trust motion against Imran Khan was actually moved because of his pro-Taliban views.

http://www.thenews.com.pk/Todays-News-13-34426-Imran-made-to-quit-as-chancellor-of-UK-University

Govt-under-fire-in-KP-Assembly-over-rising-acts-of-terror-extortion

http://www.thenews.com.pk/Todays-News-2-286288-Govt-under-fire-in-KP-Assembly-over-rising-acts-of-terror-extortion

The PTI’s hatred for all

The PTI’s hatred for all


Politicians commonly attack their opponents because at the end of the day, they have to compete against and beat them in order to win power. Unfortunately, to this end, too many depend less on their own credible achievements and more on discrediting, demeaning and delegitimising their political opponents and competitors. 

On the other hand, media commentators, analysts and opinion-makers, while not expected to be objective, are meant to offer an independent perspective. Such analysis should not resort to name-calling, personalisation, accusations and irresponsible claims. 

Accordingly, this article should not be characterising Imran Khan and his followers as permanent or fundamental haters of opposing activists, feminists, liberals, Christians, Ahmadis or any minorities or indeed of PTI-critics. However, when a political stance becomes a consistent pattern and revealing thought-process, then it is worthy of challenge and serious objection by calling it what it is. The PTI harbours a clear and revealing hatred for practically all people who do not support the PTI, for ‘lesser’ or non-Muslims and liberal women and their feminised politics.

The recent spate of contempt for Pakistani individuals and institutions, as expressed not just by Imran Khan but also his party’s official spokesmen and women (which include entertainers and celebrities as key thinkers), is not just a symptom of political hatred, it is revealing of the fundamental base of the PTI’s politics. 

Many have commented on the social media misbehaviour of the PTI supporters. However, public commentary, statements, positions and accusations are part of the formal and on-the-record discourse. These statements and positions also make history – a discipline that the PTI leadership is critically deficient in and which allows them to make it all up as they stumble along their unravelling. 

While many amongst us have been scathingly critical of the same institutions (the judiciary, the Election Commission, the media, NGOs) and even the leadership of the PML-N and the PPP, the difference is that the purpose of critique is always to lend ideas so as to improve these or enhance their functions and strengthen justice, service delivery, democracy, information dissemination, education or rights for the people. It has not been to derail, destroy or denigrate just because we aren’t getting our way. Different from criticism, critique does two things – it points out specific existing problems in any system or text and/or it points out what is missing from these altogether. 

Unfortunately, the PTI leadership offers neither critique nor criticism. Instead, its analysis depends on accusations, indictments, threats and an alternative that is defined by the replacement of existing governance with their own party, instead. This is why the call of the ‘revolution’ (that is fast becoming a compromise) is still holding on to the confused and negative slogan of ‘Go Nawaz Go’ even though the PM’s resignation is no longer considered the path to liberation. Similarly, the slogan for ‘Aavay Aavay Imran’ defies logic because he is already in power in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and, unless there’s a military coup or the party is actively rather than symbolically resigning, is going to stay there for the next few years. 

The deflation of the party’s outer apparatus comprising dharnas and political performances by way of slogans, song and dance has revealed an ugly and startling ideological core. The essence of the PTI shows no inclusive or pluralistic thinking but instead exposes the instinctive self-love and sense of privilege and superiority that its leaders spout daily. 

This attitude leads it to attack chief justices and judges rather than critique the specific judgements or lacunae in the judiciary or of procedural law. It leads to attacks on media channels that do not actively support the PTI, while blindly supporting the most vicious and misogynist anti-democratic media personalities who sponsor the party. It leads to attacks on personalities such as Asma Jahangir, not on the mullahs who encourage vigilantism, jihadist organisations who attack the Hazaras or the Taliban who have terrorised the country. Even the Jamaat-e-Islami no longer does that. 

This ideological impulse leads the PTI to launch patriarchal jokes attacking the supposed lack of testosterone-inspired politics of opposition leaders but does not censure the machismo demonstrated by its own male leaders – and some women too. The PTI limits its notion of women’s empowerment to that of PTI women who can support its dharnas through public participation but of whose politics we know nothing and who have no feminised voice in decision-making or leadership positions in the party itself. 

Revealing too is how one of the PTI’s lawmakers attacks minorities as non-Muslim lesser Pakistanis. The PTI leadership offers vague condemnations of violent acts in the name of religion but does not take any legislative initiative to reform the laws that enable such acts. Recall Imran Khan’s refusal to amend the Zina ordinance, too. 

Historical amnesia leads the PTI leaders to contradict themselves as they repeatedly invoke then recant their reliance on the military establishment in order to fulfil their ‘democratic’ ambitions. By pulling the tailcoats of the army they forget the lessons of the 2012 Asghar Khan case and the role of the agencies that is part of public record now. That and the Muneer Report, the Charter of Democracy, the constitution and a plethora of human and women’s rights reports are invaluable sources that the PTI may educate itself on.

Most damaging of all has been the PTI reduction of the notion of revolution itself. Revolutionary ideals have historically risen above parochial interests and for freedoms, equality and liberation or independence towards redistributive wealth and justice. Instead, the PTI commotion has simply been counterrevolutionary in all senses. They struggle neither for the freedoms nor equality nor redistribution of wealth for the people but just ‘liberation’ from an electoral result and the imagined ‘justice’ of gaining power for themselves. 

The question is: what’s in it for the majority that is Pakistani women and their emancipatory causes and the minorities that are the most vulnerable in Pakistan – especially, when they are so symbolically and literally loathed and reviled by the PTI?

The writer is a sociologist based in Karachi. Email: afiyazia@yahoo.com

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