Key parties hold meaningful silence on Bushra's remarks about Saudi Arabia

ISLAMABAD: Serious Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf leaders are expressing reservations about the recent statement made by Bushra Bibi, wife of the PTI founder, regarding Saudi Arabia.

Not publicly but in discussion in mutual meetings, they are expressing concern about far-reaching consequences of this statement, if not about its immediate fallout. There is a backlash because the people of Pakistan, like every Muslim country irrespective of religious and political differences, are not ready to listen to anything unpleasant about the Holy Land and its leaders.

It is a fact that Saudi Arabia stands by Pakistan’s side in tough times and difficult situations, but an unpleasant aspect is that the leadership of no major political party has yet condemned this incident and there is no expression of regret.

Leaders of other coalition parties of the government, including the Peoples Party, and other religious and political parties, including the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam, also seem to be silent about this.

In view of religious and political sensitivity of Bushra Bibi’s statement, Imran Khan himself also came forward in defence of his wife. Though his position was traditional and not strict, he knew that the position of the head of a party should be clear.

Some retired and elite personalities who consider it inappropriate to make a statement about their religious feelings in the current situation did not think it appropriate to make any statement either directly or indirectly, but they must have expressed disapproval of this statement.

In this context, the silence of leaders of political parties and their media cells is being considered as meaningful and various interpretations are being made of it. Politicians probably do not realize that in the near or distant future, they will have to answer to the public for their behaviour.