A quirky option: Aap Janab Sarkar Party looking to clinch NA-122

Party chairman believes the time is ripe to introduce idea of need-based corruption

LAHORE:

There are many politicians who claim they would eliminate corruption after coming to power, however, the flamboyant chairman of Aap Janab Sarkar Party, who is one of the candidates contesting the by-election in NA-122, has another take on the issue. “I believe we need to introduce the concept of need-based corruption among politicians in the country,” he says. 

Though this stance might furrow several brows, Dr Nawab Amber Shahzada proudly calls himself an “aalmi zameer-faroosh”.  He argues for the need to provide legal cover to corruption in order to end many of the problems in Pakistan. “I am the messiah this nation has been waiting for. My slogan is Thori Rishwat Kaam Ziada (fewer bribes more work).”

Shahzada studied philosophy at the masters’ level at Government College University, Lahore, and is an old Ravian like Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif. He contested his first election in 1988 and has since fought 40 elections against Nawaz Sharif, Shahbaz Sharif, Ishaq Dar and Imran Khan among other prominent politicians. His long stint as a politician, however, is yet to take him to the parliament.



Shahzada says he used to be close to the Sharifs and was once assigned the duty of distributing party tickets. “Nawaz Sharif would have given me an election ticket in the ’90s but then a close friend asked me to campaign for him. I was a party chairman so I decided not to accept a ticket from any other party….Otherwise I would have been a minister today.”

About the Aap Janab Sarkar Party, Shahzada says he is a one-man army. “It is very difficult to get your party registered for elections in all provinces. I have to travel for this purpose and it costs me heavily. But politics is my passion. I don’t have kids and my wife knows that I am crazy about politics.”

Shahzada has travelled miles to spread his message and slogans of Tabdeeli Nahi Khushaali Chahiey (We want prosperity not change), Tabdeeli Soch Main Khushali Mulk Main (Change in mindset will bring prosperity to the country), Khushaal Awam Khushaal Pakistan (prosperous people, prosperous Pakistan.

His party has a five-point agenda: first, to slash the defence budget; second, to improve the tax collection system; third, to make the judiciary, the police and the Election Commission of Pakistan transparent and free; fourth, to introduce accountability and stop inflation; fifth, to start mega projects in the health and education sectors; and to ensure that politicians only carry out “need-based corruption”.

“I believe we need to introduce need-based corruption among politicians. At present, most of them indulge in corruption based on their desires. When I come to power, I will appoint semi-corrupt politicians as ministers so they can solve problems faced by people,” Shahzada, who is also a homeopath doctor, tells The Express Tribune.

He says the NA-122 election is important to him. “I am sure I will win it…technically. You see, the ECP has stopped candidates from spending more than Rs1.5 million on election campaign. Both Ayaz Sadiq of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz and Aleem Khan of the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf have spent far more than the apportioned amount.” He says he has written to the ECP and complained about this. “I am hopeful that they will now be declared ineligible to contest the election, allowing me smooth sail to the national assembly.”

Shahzada speaks of walking chin-up and proud in his constituency clad in his flamboyant attire – a fez with Aap Janab Sarkar Party inscribed on it in gold, a red muffler, red suit, tinted glasses and a slick walking stick. “People are familiar with my get up…they know me because of my clothes.”

Shahzada believes that his time to finally make it to the assembly has come. “The time to act is now.”

Published in The Express Tribune, September 22^nd,   2015.