- Growing larger
It turns out, unfortunately, that Prime Minister Imran Khan is taking a U-turn on his claim of keeping a small group of ministers and advisors around him as well. And that is not all. Not only is he indecisive about his core team – raising the number by a few now and again – but the latest inclusion, of Zulfi Bukhari, raises yet more questions. He is made controversial by the NAB inquires against him, even though no references have yet been filed against him, and also by his dual nationality.
Imran himself pointed out some time ago that Pakistani law does not apply to Bukhari because of his foreign passport. And though he’s an advisor and not a legislator, appointing a foreign national to a serious post in the Pakistani government, especially when he is already a controversial personality, is hardly the best way forward. PTI has, in the past, made quite an issue of foreign nationals in government. It also urged senior party leaders with dual nationalities to give up their foreign nationalities. Some, like former PTI leader Fauzia Kasuri, were urged by Imran Khan himself to surrender foreign nationalities for contesting intra party elections.
PTI does itself no favours by developing a reputation of going back on its word ever so often, that too without the slightest bit of remorse. People trusted Imran Khan for his incorruptible nature and long track record of honesty. But even before the election he gave an impression of a man ready to go back on his word in order to get what he wants. Already opposition parties make a big deal of PTI’s indecisiveness. People were willing to give the government the benefit of doubt in its early days. But now that it has had time to settle, it should no longer give the impression of a party big on ideas and small on decisive action.
