Dear Imran Sahib, don’t put an end to bhabi’s political aspirations

Mr Khan, it's unfair to curtail the lady’s talents. Would you have made the same announcement had your candidate won?

Dear Mr Khan, 

After being bashed by your supporters over my last blog on Mrs Khan, I had decided to stay absolutely clear of the confusion that your simultaneously contradictory announcements create in the media.

However, after losing NA-19 to Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), your most recent, and quite melodramatic, announcement that Mrs Khan will not contest in any elections on the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)  ticket nor will she attend any PTI events, henceforth, I had to address you. Even at the cost of getting bashed on the foot again by your raging torrent of well-wishers, who obviously only read the good stories about you in the press.

To start with, the first feeling anyone would get from this announcement is that if there is a list of ‘sore losers’, and you’re definitely at the top. Perhaps your years as a successful cricketer have spoilt you Mr Khan, because you certainly don’t believe in losing.  However, the fact of the matter is that politics has always been a dirty game and once you’re in this field, you can’t avoid the grime from getting on you sooner or later. The best you can do is overlook the negative comments on Mrs Khan.

So you lost, but there really is no need to take it out on your poor wife. Mrs Khan has always been your ardent supporter. Give the lady a break!

I would have supported anything my husband had put his heart & soul in. I see him work long hours alone for the the future of the nation.

— Reham Khan (@RehamKhan1) August 18, 2015

On a general note, on one hand, you continuously deny any intentions of her political involvement. Yet, her actions continue to prove otherwise, not only in the NA-19 case, but in other instances too. Furthermore, you have stated that Mrs Khan is a ‘politicised figure’. It seems that completely ‘unpoliticised’ family members of the political leaders are free to jump on and off the political bandwagon continuously.

However, Reham is politicised. One of the great achievements of our dharna was to make our women & youth politicised 1/2

— Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) August 18, 2015

Thus, what’s the big deal if the ‘politicised’ Mrs Khan does the same?

Come on Mr Khan, it would be so unfair to curtail the lady’s talents. Don’t relegate an educated, worldly woman to the handi-choolha of Bani Galla and close the doors of politics on her. We sympathise with you for being sore over the NA-19 loss, but don’t take it out on your wife. This is a typical, childlike, sulking attitude, that doesn’t suit a politician at all. Rise above the ranks of the general Pakistani male mentality. Give equal footing to the wife.

Not only this, but you go another mile to shut the doors of PTI events on Mrs Khan too. Come on Mr Khan, stop being so unreasonable. The lady has herself claimed that she supports you fully in your political cause. So why shut her out of the party events by stating that she has enough on her plate with street children?

Reham Khan already has too much on her plate, esp working with street children. In future, she will not attend any PTI function/event.

— Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) August 18, 2015

That is so not fair on your supporters, whose number at these events has undoubtedly bolted leap years ahead after your marriage. They want to see Mrs Khan too. Have a heart, Mr Khan.  Be a good sport.

Also, I believe you need to draw the line at the ‘acceptance and denial’ of news related to Mrs Khan. For instance, while there are statements that Mrs Khan will not participate in PTI politics at all, other news states that she is fully on board with party politics. With specific reference to NA-19, there were news stating that she had ‘grabbed the steering wheel’ of the campaigning events with statements like,

“Gift your bhabi the NA-19 seat in return the Kyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) government will give you prosperity.”

Along with,

“PTI has Khan, jawan and bhabi.”

Admit it Mr Khan, these are quite witty and catchy statements and certainly do not reflect a half-hearted enthusiasm of a supporter, who is just there for the sake of being there. This is a supporter who is vehemently and passionately involved in the cause that she is supporting. So let’s not undermine, underrate and belittle Mrs Khan’s efforts.

Despite her very evident enthusiasm, you rudely dropped the axe on Mrs Khan’s political aspirations with your recent announcement. Your supporters aside, your announcement must definitely have broken her heart too.

Is it because Amir Zaman lost to Babar Nawaz, leading to a lot of bashing for Mrs Khan?

Another proverbial million dollar question this announcement raises is, would you have made the same announcement had your candidate won?

This is part of the game Mr Khan. Let’s learn to be magnanimous losers when we lose. And please keep the dear wife out of the frustration-release-cycle.

I will now end my letter and get ready for another thrashing from the PTI supporters who see no wrong in their leader.

Wake up guys, no one’s perfect.