Other than that, Mrs Lincoln, how was the play?
There is much to discuss at Imran Khan’s press conferences. Chief of which can be the devastating effects of the recent earthquake in the province that his party rules. Anything but his personal life.
But, the rules are different for Imran Khan. Because he’s a leader and a leader’s personal life is up for discussion? Well, one could argue that, but no. It is because he is a celebrity.
Politics – regardless of what you, reading this off a screen, think – is a tortuously difficult undertaking, whether you are running for the seat of a counsellor or running a national party. And when it comes to running a new national party, everything that could have been said already has been said in the past by someone or the other. The political lands aren’t virgin. To have achieved what Imran Khan has achieved has been possible due to his admirable determination but, to a very large part, by his status as a celebrity. The PTI was being discussed even when it was a tonga party, as they are called, because of his celebrity status.
But, on the flipside, the trappings of celebrity are such that everyone will discuss your personal life. Specially when you haven’t been shy about sharing details of your personal life. Imran Khan first hinted at his marriage from atop a container, and then, after getting married, did the whole Mr-and-Mrs thing for not just one TV channel, but many.
To expect for there to be no mention whatsoever about the parting of ways is silly.
Imran Khan’s now-famous reaction at the reporter’s question in Peshawar was childish.
Now you might have a different opinion than mine on what is and isn’t kosher when it comes to discussing the personal lives of party leaders. But the point being made by sharing the Peshawar video (for online viewers) isn’t about that issue in the first place.
If you were to see the video, the reporter had asked about the lacklustre performance of the PTI in the health and education sectors; that Khan was a poor judge of character by surrounding himself by people who didn’t get his vision. Then, as a parting shot, yes, he said Khan suffered from this problem in both his personal and professional lives.
You might argue that the reporter had couched his query in the health and education category even though he wanted to find out only Khan’s personal life. But, for what it is worth, Imran Khan also completely disregarded the question about health and education and got angry at the reporter for the personal question.
Imran Khan, as opposed to the impression that he is trying to give, actually used his personal life to avoid talking about that question. Sort of like the boisterous fellow, who at a formal gathering, keeps shouting at others, “Rola na paao! ROLA NA PAAAAO!!!! (don’t make noise!)”
All other political parties have remained mum about the issue, as their respective party leaders have asked their followers to zip it. But in the time to come, expect only the PTI and its followers to talk about it, if only to ask others not to talk about it. Rola na pao.
Post-script: Imran Khan, to his credit, did apologise later. Kudos to him. Just don’t bring up health and education, please.
