Daggers were drawn, sparks flew, and barbs were traded between the PTI’s former general secretary and its vice chairman as Jehangir Tareen and Shah Mehmood Qureshi reportedly locked horns at an hours-long meeting of the party’s parliamentary board, which ended only after Chairman Imran Khan walked out early.
The two party heavyweights squabbling among themselves has created an embarrassing sort of situation for the PTI on the back of the dharna that took place outside Bani Gala. But even with the dharna finally done and dusted with, nothing has stopped the rising of tempers and the copious airing of dirty laundry, and the little feud is now turning into a deeply personal rift between Imran Khan’s two closest men.
At the party meeting, Jehangir Tareen apparently said Qureshi has been selecting his ‘blue eyed boys’ and was responsible created the little mess outside Bani Gala. Qureshi retorted by accusing Tareen of having riled up the workers against Imran.
Things naturally got ugly, but one of the demands Qureshi is insisting upon is that a ticket be given to Sikander Hayat Bosan from NA-154 Multan. Bosan is supposed to be pivotal in the constituency next door from where Qureshi’s son Zain Qureshi is set to embark on his political debut. Tareen should probably empathise, given his own son’s loss and the turning over of his constituency to a former opponent, but there seems no love lost as even this hasn’t made him budge on the subject.
Both men have stormed off to their respective hometowns now, leaving the decision to their chairman. Imran is in a precarious situation here, and the slightest nudge could send him and his party tumbling over an increasingly thin ledge.
On paper, the League might seem just a little better off, even as they declared their lists of candidates without too many complaints from within the party. But rumours are afloat that no candidate is being fielded against Ch Nisar on Mian Shehbaz’s advice, and things could still go awry as we saw in case of ex-loyalist Zaeem Qadri. With an even month left to election day, there is a western playing out in the PTI and a family soap playing over at the PML-N. It’s no holds barred in Pakistan.
Sadiq, Ameen and sleazy:
Amir Liaquat apparently didn’t declare his second wife in his nomination papers. He should take notes from Saad Rafique, who admitted to having a second wife in his nomination paper. Both men are sleazes, but one is ‘sadiq and ameen’ sleaze while the other isn’t. Wonder if Liaquat’s papers are going to be rejected.
Post-script:
An independent from Muzaffargarh has declared 403 billion rupees in assets ranging from, cars to homes to hundreds of acres of agricultural land. Take note, he says to our national leaders, there is no shame in being rich. Hey, he may be right, if you’ve got it, flaunt it.
Post post-script:
Both of them have been disqualified from contesting the elections. Both have left their party presidency to become undefined ‘Quaids.’ Both have had embarrassing associations with the establishment in the past. Whatever else, Mian Nawaz and General Musharraf have now got some common ground to bond over. Time to let bygones be bygones over a cup of tea or a round of golf?