Casting a critical eye

Politics is a murky business at the best of times. Mirages and false horizons abound as do plain old-fashioned lies. Here in Pakistan the latest round of political theatre revolves around a former President of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), Javed Hashmi and its current Chairman, Imran Khan. The trouble started when Mr Hashmi made some eyebrow-raising remarks about Mr Khan, the military and the events surrounding the PTI dharna that dominated the headlines in late 2014. He accused the PTI leader of conspiring against the government along with ‘disgruntled’ elements of the army to bring down the government of Nawaz Sharif, the reason for this being Mr Khan’s well-advertised grievance at what he saw as being cheated of a win in the General Election. This is not the first time that these tales have surfaced, usually to be rubbished by Mr Khan and his fellow travellers.



The problem with rubbishing Mr Hashmi is that he is a political old hand, has been close to the centre of the political vortex for years and presumably knows a thing or two. Or three. Thus it is that he cannot be dismissed lightly neither can what he says. He bailed out of the PTI because he was uncomfortable with some of what he was of necessity close to, and as the country is now in the long run-up to the 2018 General Election it seems he has decided to throw a spanner in the PTI works.

As for Mr Khan it has to be said that he needs to be taken with a pinch of salt whenever he opens his mouth — which tends to be on most days. Transparency has never been off-the-shelf for Mr Khan and given his projected and preferred image of squeaky cleanliness it ought to be. The events of 2014 need opening up. The stakeholders — voters — want something more than colourful promises and political leaders that have at least a semblance of honesty about them. If Mr Hashmi is able to credibly shine a light then it is welcome — even if it reveals some of the whiffier items at the back of the political wardrobe.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 4^th, 2017.

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