PTI’s opportunists

Everyday dozens of electables are joining Imran Khan. While some of them believe in him, few are only joining because they stand to benefit from his rising popularity. There is a whole history for these turncoats. They have been part of every sitting government, be it military junta, a caretaker or elected civil governments.

There is no doubt that educated and talented men, like Jehangir Tareen, Ishaque Khan and others, will be an asset for Imran Khan, but there are many who will damage his party with their unethical practices. While it makes sense not to filter the credentials of the crowd joining PTI at this moment, it should be done near or after the election.

We must remember what happened in the post-1940 era, when Quaid-e-Azam as a consequence of Jinnah–Sikander understanding reached in 1937, inducted the Muslim electable members of former Zamaidara Party, renamed as Unionist Party, a coalition of Hindu, Sikh and Muslim landowners. According to commitment by Sikandar, Muslim members of the Unionist Party were to constitute a Muslim League Party in Punjab Legislature, but this never happened and instead they dominated the provincial parliamentary boards tasked with distribution of tickets.

Out of three Muslim elected premiers of Punjab, Bengal and Assam, who publicly announced decision to merge with Jinnah’s All India Muslim League, it was only the Unionist from Punjab, who did not do so.

The Unionist Party continued to function as a separate parliamentary group in the Punjab Legislature till Sikandar Hayat’s death in Dec 1942 and even after that till 1944, when Khizr Hayat was expelled from the League in 1944.

History is testimony to the damage done to Muslim League and its impact on politics of Pakistan in post-independence era. Politics in Pakistan has suffered because of the domination by these remnants of Raj. While the Quaid had decided to weed out these opportunists who had no commitment to Pakistan, he did not live long enough to do so.

MALIK TARIQ ALI

Lahore