We appear to be witnessing a distinct trend within the PTI. Apparently, the PTI is unwilling to tolerate any debate within its ranks – a policy that does not seem to tie in well to the democratic principles the party says it stands for or the idea of justice included in its very name. From Justice Tariq Wajihuddin, on whom party chief Imran Khan had once lavished extravagant praise and who was ousted from the PTI after heading an internal party investigation to MNA Dawar Khan Kundi, many within the PTI have suffered the same fate. Kundi’s problems with his party arose after he spoke up regarding the horrifying case of a teenage girl, who was paraded naked through the streets of Dera Ismail Khan, after a local jirga ordered this barbaric punishment on the hapless girl. Kundi had stated that Ali Amin Gandapur, the KP revenue minister, had backed the jirga and was obstructing police. Kundi says he had pointed this out to Imran Khan, along with what he calls ‘proof’ of Gandapur’s corruption. While waves of shock ran through the country over the horrendous act in D I Khan, Imran and the top ranks of his party maintained a curious silence, refusing even to condemn the barbarity. This silence was broken on Friday through a social media video from Imran, stating that Kundi had violated party discipline and would be expelled. Imran has also stated that the IG Police of D I Khan had stated Gandapur was not intervening. This of course means little. An inquiry is desperately required, and while Kundi’s allegations are as yet mere allegations, they do warrant an investigation given their gravity. What is perhaps worse is that the inhuman punishment meted out to a young girl has still not received the PTI’s attention. We would have expected that a party that claims it stands for justice would at the very least ensure justice is served to anyone who commits such barbarism – no matter who the perpetrator may be. That the party resorted to look only at the political fallout is unfortunate. Whatever the case may be, the truth must out.
