Imran, Hashmi in new war of words

Hashmi says Imran waited for ‘judicial martial law’ during sit-in; PTI chief calls him ‘liar’

ISLAMABAD: A verbal duel between PTI Chairman Imran Khan and his party’s renegade president, Makhdoom Javed Hashmi, resurrected on Sunday when both called each other ‘mentally ill’ and ‘pathological liar’.

Hashmi, who had ditched Imran during the 2014 marathon dharna, alleged that the PTI chief had conspired for a ‘judicial martial law’ in the country. He also alleged that the ‘third umpire’ [construed by many as a reference to the security establishment] was instrumental in the dharna which, according to Hashmi, was a part of the plan to topple the government.



Hashmi said Imran had waited for the ‘third umpire’ who did not come to his help. “When he [Imran] saw his plans failing, he had asked Jahangir Tareen, ‘where is the third umpire?’” Hashmi told the media while talking about the confrontation between the government and the PTI which was eventually defused by the then army chief, Raheel Sharif.

“Imran Khan was waiting for a judicial martial law,” Hashmi said and described the PTI’s Nov 2 Islamabad ‘lockdown plan’ as ‘dharna-plus’ which also fizzled out after the ‘hidden hands’ withdrew their support and stayed neutral. “After this embarrassment, Imran decided to return to parliament.”

Hashmi claimed on Friday that Imran had told him during the 2014 dharna that Justice Nasirul Mulk would replace Justice Tassaduq Hussain Jilani as the chief justice of Pakistan. “He [Justice Nasir] would dissolve parliament and form a government under the Supreme Court. And in the subsequent elections to be held under the judiciary’s supervision, the PTI would emerge victorious.”

Hashmi also alleged that some disgruntled elements in the military wanted to get rid of Gen Raheel and use Imran to destroy democracy. He claimed that PTI Vice Chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi had told a party meeting that there had been no widespread rigging in Punjab in the 2013 elections.



Imran hit back at Hashmi, calling him insane. “Hashmi sahib is in that age bracket where he has lost his senses and is mentally disturbed,” he told journalists on Sunday. He also called Hashmi a pathological liar. “Although the current rulers are also liars but Hashmi is ahead of everyone when it comes to lying,” he added.

Hashmi refused to relent. “By the way, Khan sahib is only a year-and-a-half younger than me. Let’s have mental and dupe tests of both of us and truth will come out,” he said.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 2^nd, 2017.