PTI versus MQM

The limits of hypocrisy

The PTI and MQM are two parties which have over the years spewed an infinite quantity of venom against one another. They have sharp political differences. These have often taken the form of highly slanderous personal attacks.

Imran Khan holds Altaf Husain responsible for the killing of PTI leader Zahra Shahid and Geo News reporter Wali Khan Babar. He blames the British government for not taking action against him. He is also convinced that Imran Farooq was killed on the directives of Altaf Hussain. Khan also holds MQM responsible for setting fire to a garments factory in Baldia Town, Karachi, three years back, thus causing the death of at least 258 workers. These are no ordinary charges.

Imran Khan has called upon members of the MQM to part ways with their leader. He has called on the PML-N government to hand over the two witnesses in custody of the Pakistan government to Britain to give evidence against the MQM chief in the Imran Farooq murder case.

Imran Khan has vowed not to sit with MQM at any forum till the party separates itself from its terrorist wing and Altaf Hussain. He has called Altaf Hussain a psychopath.

In return, MQM accuses Imran Khan of supporting the Taliban. Days before he arrived at Karachi MQM expressed apprehensions that he might bring TTP terrorists with him. MQM has also called Imran Khan a playboy and a man who is ‘morally bankrupt’ as he betrayed Sita White and didn’t have the moral courage to own his daughter.

PTI and MQM have conducted aggressive debates, bartering accusations on the media. Their supporters have meanwhile gone viral sparing no invective for the leadership of the other side.

Imran Khan has called upon members of the MQM to part ways with their leader. He has called on the PML-N government to hand over the two witnesses in custody of the Pakistan government to Britain to give evidence against the MQM chief in the Imran Farooq murder case

The way both sides treated each other on Friday, during Khan’s visit to NA 246, indicated that the two had crossed the limits of hypocrisy. This time again Imran Khan abandoned the mask he wears outside Karachi, putting on an altogether different one meant for use exclusively in the mega city. As he did in his September rally in Karachi, Imran Khan never mentioned Zahra Hussain or other people who he believed had been killed at Hussain’s directives. .

Khan even forgot what he had said a day earlier regarding the politics of Karachi being run on ethnic lines. This he had maintained would be detrimental to national harmony. Now it was the invention of Imran Khan as a Muhajir. “I’m myself half Muhajir”, he declared, maintaining that his mother had migrated from East Punjab. Perhaps Khan doesn’t know that the MQM does not recognise those migrating from areas contiguous to Pakistan’s territory a Muhajirs.

Imran Khan also said that politically the Muttahida Qaumi Movement and PTI were on the same page because both were against hereditary politics. The only difference was about the use of force.

An equally unprincipled Altaf Husssain called Imran his “brother” and offered “unconditional” support for PTI’s rally in Karachi. “Let’s forget resentments of the past… come forward and promote the sentiments of tolerance, love and peace, brotherhood, unity and clemency,” said the MQM chief addressing the PTI workers.“We should adopt the policy of live and let live”.

Not to be left behind, Imran Khan praised his counterpart for helping to diffuse tensions between PTI and MQM workers. We seem to have entered an era of Imran-Altaf, Bhai, Bhai. There was an exchange of pleasantries. The PTI leaders from Karachi readily obliged their rivals when invited inside the ‘martyrs’ memorial. Top MQM leaders lined up to receive Khan at Aziz Abad. Imran Khan also paid a visit to the MQM sanctum sanctorum.

PTI and MQM have conducted aggressive debates, bartering accusations on the media. Their supporters have meanwhile gone viral sparing no invective for the leadership of the other side

A lunch was laid in Khan’s honour, which he didn’t have time to enjoy. The ethnic outfit had post haste acquired a set of gold ornament for Reham Khan to be delivered at an appropriate time to her. The tone and tenor of the leaders of the two parties changed altogether while Khan was in Karachi.

Farooq Sattar, who appeared at a TV show along with Shah Mehmood Qureshi, was no more his original self. The normally rough and raucous voice was replaced by a newly acquired mellow and sweet sounding tone. It was too cultured and too conciliatory to make one doubt one’s ears.

But have the two leopards really changed their spots? Or what transpired between the two parties was no more than a pantomime?

The PTI has the capacity to do its utmost to overthrow parliament and failing to do so declare it fake, only to rush seven months later to claim its seats in the “fake” parliament without the least touch of remorse.

How long will the party remain in parliament is anybody’s guess. The MQM is no different. The party follows only one principle which is to seek a share in power irrespective of who is in power. To target the PPP it has condemned feudalism and then joined the PPP led government with no regret whatsoever. Using the opposition to capitalism as a stick to beat the PML-N with, it has joined the Nawaz led government. It claims that it opposes military rule as it is the only genuinely democratic party and still it cohabited with the Musharraf regime without any qualm of conscience. In case Imran Khan forms government in Pakistan, it would be equally keen to join it.