Cursing parliament puts Imran in catch-22 situation

LAHORE :PTI Chairman Imran Khan has once again exhibited political immaturity while cursing parliament during the joint opposition show Wednesday on The Mall.

Most of the PTI members have no answer when they were contacted to respond as to what will be the stance of Imran Khan over the by-election in Lodhran where the party ticket holder is the son of Jehangir Khan Tareen. Ali Tareen has been pitched as the PTI candidate from NA-154, the seat vacated after the disqualification of Jehangir Khan Tareen, who was also holding the office of secretary general of the PTI. Ali Tareen is participating in the election campaign with full fervour in Lodhran and contesting for the slot of parliament whose integrity Imran had rejected in his recent speech.

Moreover, this isn't the first time that skipper has taken a stance which not only invited serious criticism from the critics but also made him a laughing stock amongst political analysts and politicians. In 2014 'dharna', while Imran sought resignations from his party members in protest against rigging in the 2013 polls, he himself was seen addressing the election campaign of Amir Dogar, apparently an independent candidate who was contesting from Multan on the seat vacated by Javed Hashmi.

Besides, team of Imran Khan was also seen campaigning for Brig Ejaz Shah (retd) those days on a National Assembly seat vacated as a result of death of PML-N MNA Mansab Ali Dogar.

In the elections, PML-N's Dr Shizra Mansab won the poll and the PTI-backed Ejaz Shah was defeated. While standing on the container, Imran also congratulated his supporters over the victory of a PTI candidate in a by-poll in Dera Ismail Khan, whereas he kept insisting he wouldn't return to the parliament. Later, Imran deviated from his stance and returned to the National Assembly, also pitched his party candidate for Senate polls from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, where his party was in a comfortable position to bag the seats of the same parliament cursed by Imran on Tahirul Qadri's container.

This correspondent tried to contact different PTI politicians over the issue of Lodhran by-polls for the slot of the same 'parliament' cursed by Imran but they refused to comment over it. PTI's Secretary Information Shafqat Mehmood was only party member who spoke over the issue and said Imran hasn't criticised the parliament but had slammed the way rulers were treating it.