PTI needs to grow out of it
Within ten months of its life the PTI-led government in KP has faced several challenges. It was quite a task for Imran Khan to force key provincial party leaders to surrender dual portfolios. Halfway between the tenure a bitter dispute erupted with coalition partner QWP. In November Imran Khan directed the KP party to look into complaints of corruption against some of the provincial ministers. Within days Chief Minister Pervez Khatak dismissed two QWP ministers on corruption charges. One of those sacked accused Imran Khan of directing the CM to remove him without first providing him an opportunity to clear his position and filed a Rs1b defamation suit against the PTI chief. Imran Khan’s plea to the court to dismiss the suit was rejected on Tuesday.
The latest in-party challenge to the KP PTI emerged on Tuesday after Pervez Khatak inducted five new ministers in the cabinet. Media reports tell of 14 PTI MPAs having formed a separate bloc in protest against the appointments. Qurban Ali Khan who is the self styled ‘focal person’ of the group expressed reservations over the party high-ups’ interference in provincial matters. The PTI central party leadership has been frequently criticised by its detractors of interfering in the affairs of the province. The issue was also raised when the CM had dismissed two QWP ministers in November. According to the disgruntled PTI MPA more lawmakers are likely to join the group.
It would appear from the claims made by focal person that while forming the pressure group the members were motivated by sheer idealism. The provincial party leadership has been accused of indulging in irregularities and undefined wrongdoings of which the party chief has been kept in the dark. It was maintained that some people are hijacking the vision of Chairman Imran Khan, thus deviating from the PTI’s manifesto and that this would not be allowed. Interestingly the newly created bloc has expressed loyalty to Imran Khan without accepting him as an arbitrator. It is maintained that the dissenting MPAs would resign if their demands were not accepted. There are a number of questions that remain unanswered. Does Qurban Ali Khan really have a following of 14 MPAs? Is it really a principled fight against irregularities on the part of the provincial leadership and interference by the high command or a fight for ministries and development funds that is common among political parties?
Be it as it may there are lessons for Imran Khan in all this. He would hopefully realise that allegations of corruption against opponents should not be levelled without solid proofs. Further, the posture of holier than thou cannot be retained in politics for long. Corruption and undemocratic attitudes are widespread in Pakistan and are not confined to ‘other parties’ alone.
At least IK is honest which cannot be claimed by even the most loyal supporters of the crooked parties.
If Imran is honest why does he roam around in Jahangir Tareen's jets and armoured vehicles (the latest is a bullet proof range rover which Imran accepted happily). What is the difference between this and corruption? He is getting personal gain for offering power to others. And you think Jahangir Tareen is not trying to make back the money spent on Imran through the KPK government?
PTI makes me sick!
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