As the opposition’s no-confidence motion is taking its toll on Prime Minister Imran Khan-led government, the ruling PTI leaders have toughened their tone not only against their opponents but also against dissenting lawmakers who have revolted against their own party.
PTI MNA Aliya Hamza, while speaking in a private broadcaster’s talk show, said that even “prostitutes” were better than politicians after it emerged that a group of ruling party lawmakers had sought refuge in PPP-led provincial government’s Sindh House in Islamabad.
عجیب معیار ہے ہماری اخلاقیات کا
— Aliya hamza malik (@aliya_hamza) March 18, 2022
الفاظ کے چناؤ پر اعتراض,لوٹوں کی خرید وفروخت جائز
روح اور ضمیر فروشی منظورالفاظ سےآئینہ دیکھانانامنظور
مجھےالفاظ کےچناؤپرافسوس نہیں,تکلیف توصرف یہ بکنے والےممبرزتو prostitutesسےبھی بدتر
انکو prostitutesسےملانا prostitutesکی توہین#ضمیر_فروش pic.twitter.com/PWe4sHIgDv
In an interview to a private TV channel, PTI’s estranged member Raja Riaz had disclosed that around 24 disgruntled MNAs of the ruling party were staying at the Sindh House, fearing government action against them like the one they witnessed when the Islamabad police raided the Parliament Lodges a week ago.
“I don’t want to use this word but prostitutes are better than them [politicians]... Sindh House has been turned into a ‘brothel house’ and ‘pimps’ are sitting there involved in buying and selling [of lawmakers],” said Aliya while seeking an apology for using foul language on national TV.
As a politician, the woman lawmaker said, she could not control her ‘emotions’ as the opposition parties had brought “a lot of filth and dirt into politics”.
In a similar show of outburst, Special Assistant to Prime Minister (SAPM) on Political Communication Shahbaz Gill called estranged lawmaker Ramesh Kumar a “pimp” live on national television.
My question is why isn’t @FrontlineKamran intervening, shutting this down? He’s just sitting there looking smug… https://t.co/kH37RXeNH1
— Mehreen Zahra-Malik (@mehreenzahra) March 17, 2022
Both the leaders of ruling PTI were invited to a talk show of a local news channel, where Gill when asked to comment on Kumar’s reservations regarding PM Imran lost his cool. “You are a ‘political pimp’… you came to Punjab to sell counterfeit cancer medicine… didn’t you pimp,” said Gill while accusing Kumar of trying to seek personal favours from the government.
MNA Kumar also sent a legal notice to Gill for using inappropriate language and making “baseless allegations” against him. The dissident lawmaker also asked Gill to retract his allegations and apologise within 15 days for using abusive remarks against him.
The lawmaker said in the notice that he was also being threatened by the PTI supporters and will file defamation suit against the PM’s aide if he did not tender apology in the given time period.
Gill also shared a video on his official Twitter handle claiming that “a booze-up underway in Sindh House”.
ایک بہت ہی بڑے نامور میڈیا پرسنیلیٹی سے یہ وڈیو موصول ہوئی ہے۔ کیا یہ سندھ ہاؤس ہے pic.twitter.com/PWfS8KPscx
— Dr. Shahbaz GiLL (@SHABAZGIL) March 18, 2022
Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry also issued a sharp rebuke to the dissident group of lawmakers, saying that “shameless [MNAs]” should first step down and contest election independently if they want to vote on no-trust motion against the premier “according to their conscience”.
“Is this your father’s vote? This is Imran Khan’s vote… they became [lawmakers] due to Imran Khan,” he added.
انہوں نے تو گالیاں دینا اور رونا شروع کر دیا ہے۔فواد چوہدری صاحب صبر کریں اور اپنے اگلے ٹھکانے کا جلدی اعلان فرمائیں۔ رونا نہیں ہے پلیز pic.twitter.com/ZEZOZV49aq
— waqar satti 🇵🇰 (@waqarsatti) March 17, 2022
To make the already polarised political situation worse, angry activists of ruling PTI stormed the Sindh House in Islamabad by smashing its gate and scaling down the walls of the building earlier today.
TV footage shows dozens of the ruling party activists including two lawmakers barging into the Sindh House and chanting slogans against the group of dissident lawmakers.
Ruling party members expressed regret over the incident but did not condemn the act, which was termed by the PPP leadership as an “act of terrorism”.
Information Minister Fawad blamed the opposition for the incident, saying the angry party workers were directed to vacate the premises but added that “you [opposition] will have to face public hatred if Sindh House was made ‘Changa Manga’”.
Social media users from all walks of life condemned the use of foul language by the PTI leaders while calling it a “new low” in the country’s politics.
If PM @ImranKhanPTI manages to turn this delicate situation into his favour, the first thing he should do is replace people like Shahbaz Gill who remained more of a liability for the government.
— Hassan Khan (@mhassankhan06) March 17, 2022
Only then can he truly steer towards something doable for this country
How long will Shahbaz Gill stick around in Pakistan once the party ends? https://t.co/d99peNYDpf
— Khurram Husain (@KhurramHusain) March 17, 2022
Shahbaz Gill, Alia Hamza and now this. 👇
— AHMAD WALEED (@AhmadWaleed) March 17, 2022
It runs in the family https://t.co/BD2mTey4bI
Punjab’s “education” minister, people. Shahbaz Gill used the same language, so did Aliya Hamza Malik. That’s a coordinated attack. pic.twitter.com/UeGGjz9zxZ
— Shahbaz Zahid (@shahbazzahid) March 18, 2022
The Human Right Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) also issued a statement expressing shock over Gill’s “crass choice of words” against his colleague.
“This in no way represents freedom of expression and anchor should not have brushed the abuse aside as Mr Gill's temper.”
HRCP is revolted by politician @SHABAZGIL's crass choice of words for his colleague @RVankwani. This in no way represents freedom of expression and anchor @FrontlineKamran should not have brushed the abuse aside as 'Mr Gill's temper'. pic.twitter.com/hNrJ1psg8p
— Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (@HRCP87) March 17, 2022
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