Liar’s web

The PTI, under the leadership of former PM Imran Khan, has fostered a political culture unrestrained by logic or cogent arguments where uncorroborated allegations and recriminations are deemed to be ample enough to demonize political rivals and, by implication, elevate himself and his party as a model of honest and law-abiding politics. Why Khan never initiated any inquires or investigations into his political rivals to back up these claims when he was in power and had the power of the state agencies at his disposal remains a mystery. Now that the details of the Toshakhana affair have come to light, providing more solid evidence against Khan than he ever did against his own rivals, the former PM’s allegations can be deemed outright hypocritical and his squeaky clean image is falling apart.

In the days before his ouster, Khan launched yet more baseless accusations, this time involving a foreign conspiracy that was allegedly using his rivals, the PML-N and PPP, to remove him from power. Though the allegations failed to prevent Khan’s removal, he has continued churning out hearsay, this time targeting former party members who switched allegiances and even the establishment. Not only is the former PM’s outlandish behaviour embarrassing himself and his party but, given Pakistan’s delicate national security situation, it risks causing wider instability and turmoil which Pakistan can ill afford at this stage.

Sajjad Khattak

Attock