Though the candidacy of women members of the Parties involved in the NA-120 election was initially seen as a progressive step in the political atmosphere of the country, the recent jingoist rhetoric from both sides of the polls is undoubtedly akin to taking two steps back.
Anila Butt, ‘Member Advisory Board Youth Wing PTI London’, was recently appointed to her designation on the 8th of August 2017. Appointed her position in light of her ‘constant hard work and dedication’ to the party, Anila Butt posted a string of tweets targeting the PML-N nominee for NA-120, Kulsoom Nawaz.
“ضمنی الیکشن 120 NA میں عجیب مقابلہ ھے.
*ڈاکٹر بمقابلہ مریض* ???”
— Anila Butt (@AnilaButtPTI) August 27, 2017
Leg pulling and point scoring may be common in Pakistan and politics in general but most would agree that to ridicule a disease as that of cancer is most definitely in bad taste.
The PTI worker did not limit herself to one tweet that may have slipped through the cracks but in fact went on to post a string of tweets that further perverse inexcusable territory. The candidacy of Kalsum Nawaz and whether she is fit for the nomination is a political question but to target her and her sickness as a ploy to ‘gain public sympathy’ makes Anila and the political party that she represents reach a new low.
Sick people cash their sickness to get public sympathy! Just to get power without power ?
Pathetic and ill minded people. https://t.co/3FGAg5Yb72— Anila Butt (@AnilaButtPTI) August 28, 2017
یہ اپنی بیماریاں مشکل وقت کے لئے سنبھال کے رکھتے ہیں ??? https://t.co/r4CfqcEE3F
— Anila Butt (@AnilaButtPTI) August 28, 2017
The tweets probably would not have been seen as offensive had she been a normal party supporter , given the plethora of hate and scathing remarks exchanged between pakistani party supporters on the regular, the issue arises when a party authorised worker with a public political following goes on to exhibit such behaviour.