The PM likes to pose as a redeemer who is tasked to fight corruption in all shapes and manifestations, particularly in the realm of politics. Like a man suffering from messiah complex, Mr Khan harbours delusions. Since he believes that the entire opposition is corrupt, he concludes that the people would neither follow the opposition leaders nor vote for them. His wishes stand in the way of comprehending the ground realities. During the first year of his tenure Mr Khan repeatedly challenged the opposition to hold rallies against him, promising to provide containers to their leaders and free lunches to their followers. When the opposition’s protests became bigger, he accused it of hiring unemployed labour, paying each one daily wages and a “Qeemay wala naan” for attending the gatherings.
Failing to comprehend why people still followed the opposition parties, Khan accused the media of glorifying the corrupt politicians and thus making corruption acceptable in society. He maintained that the media did this in return for money from corrupt politicians.
The PDM’s public gatherings were sneeringly referred to as jalsis, arranged by Patwaris tied to the PML(N) with a still uncut umbilical cord. It was hoped that the gatherings would come to an end once the police used force. The resistance put up by opposition workers to baton charge and teargas shelling in Multan bamboozled Imran Khan and his followers. But Mr Khan still continued to harbour delusions. It was only after the by-elections, particularly after his Finance Minister lost to the “corrupt” Yousuf Raza Gilani, that Imran khan started having conniptions.
The sycophants around the PM advised him to raise the issue of secret ballot as the main source of corruption in elections. This is ironical as Khan had no reservations whatsoever about the secret ballot in 2018 as this alone had helped him defeat the PML(N)’s candidate for the Chairman’s post despite the PML(N) being the single largest party in the Senate. A year later during the no-confidence vote against Chairman Aslam Sanjrani, Mr Khan had no qualms of conscience over the ongoing sale and purchase of votes, helped by the secret ballot, which was kosher then because it suited Mr Khan politically. The PM’s recent tirade against the secret vote is just an example of political opportunism.
