- And keeping close watch
PTI’s latest press release, indicating that the oath taking would take place now on Aug18 and it would feature prominent friends from across the border, typifies the party’s habit of contradicting itself. Granted, Imran Khan’s struggle has revolutionised Pakistan’s political landscape and despite widespread talk of the establishment’s helping hand it cannot be denied that many, many people voted PTI primarily because of its manifesto. But it is equally true that Imran has gone back on almost all of his principles concerning the battle against the status quo on the way to becoming prime minister.
There was a time when Imran claimed he would never take anybody who had benefitted from the past’s corruption into his party. Now he’s gifted the term ‘electable’ to political science jargon by filling PTI with turncoats from everywhere, including big shots he used to talk down on TV talk shows. He’s also embraced fierce enemies of the past – ‘killers’ he promised he’d bring to justice – just so the premiership is assured. And many of the original, ideological comrades that stood with him through thick and thin are no longer even part of the party.
Hopefully PTI will not extend this practice of completely revising its position on crucial points, without the slightest concern, when it comes to implementing the manifesto that got it the votes. Imran must now sift through all his electables and find clean, untainted men and women for the most important and sensitive positions. And he must also fulfill his promise of weeding out corruption from the government machinery. That will, no doubt, disturb many of his favourite electables whose wealth and influence lubricated his campaign besides creating strains within his party and, therefore, government. The new government is welcomed with hopes, indeed, of a Naya Pakistan. But it is also important to keep constant checks on it.