KP government is often criticised for shunning women from running the affairs of the province at ministerial level — there is no women minister in the 12-member strong cabinet. In fact KP government has even eliminated the ministry on women affairs, let alone appointing any women minister on other portfolios. In this backdrop, when Pakistan Tahreek-i-Insaf (PTI) Chairman’s wife, Reham Khan, is appointed by the KP government as ‘Ambassador for Street Children’, we should celebrate the occasion, not question her appointment.
PTI has long been claiming it’s not a ‘family’ party, doesn’t believe in ‘dynastic’ politics wherein party head’s relatives control the party and government affairs. Earlier Imran Khan openly criticised his political rivals, Nawaz Sharif and Asif Zardari, for running their respective parties as family businesses, appointing relatives and cronies on lucrative positions. Both Nawaz and Asif were questioned on involvement of their daughters, Maryam Nawaz and Aseefa Zardari, in different government related activities. In fact Maryam was heading a government-sponsored youth loan programme till recent past when she was removed on Lahore High Court’s orders. Aseefa could be seen along with her father in running the Sindh province.
Let’s forget and put aside PTI’s criticism of other party heads for promoting their children and also ignore why there is no women minister in KP cabinet, let’s welcome Reham Khan to Chief Minister House wherein she addresses elected members of the provincial assembly.
But please forgive me asking one question though: Has KP government given this much respect to a now-forgotten daughter of the province — Malala Yousafzai? Any idea why launching of her biography was stopped by the KP government?
MASOOD KHAN
Jubail, Saudi Arabia
