Gandapur comments

It seems that the standard of political discourse is hitting new lows every week. We had just gotten into the thick of ludicrous treason accusations when Federal Minister for Kashmir Affairs and Gilgit-Baltistan Ali Amin Gandapur, feeling left out, decided it was time for him to throw his hat in the ring for the most vile political commentary of 2020. At an election rally in G-B, the federal minister accused Maryam Nawaz of getting plastic surgery at public expense and saying that he could have anyone look like a Brad Pitt or Tom Cruise using money from the public kitty.

We won’t get into the legality of Gandapur’s presence in G-B, which opposition leaders claim amounts to election interference. Gandapur, who established himself as a connoisseur of fine ‘honey’ during the PTI dharnas, is no stranger to ludicrous comments. Even if his ‘sweet tooth’ had gotten the better of him, there is no excuse for such personal attacks. Whether or not Maryam has gone under the knife is irrelevant. Gandapur needs to learn to keep his mouth shut until he learns how to conduct himself like a public servant and representative of the people, rather than a two-bit street thug. He can start by focusing on his tremendously important day job, unless, of course, it is beyond him. We are hard-pressed to find anything on his record that stands out as an accomplishment. Alternatively, he could go quietly into the wilderness and look for alternative career options. Maybe honey farming.

The inclination to attack rivals with derogatory remarks is not just restricted to a certain political party. Members of nearly all parties are part of this contest of who can be louder and more insulting, and who can sling more mud. It’s like a match of name-calling no party wants to be left out of. Unfortunately, this venomous political rhetoric is what is expected of party members by their leaders. The leaders themselves tend to lead from the front, completely neglecting they are supposed to act as role models for the nation.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 11^th, 2020.

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