Within days of the end of the PTI rule, reports started appearing that exposed former PM Imran Khan’s claims of moral rectitude and Spartan living.
The PTI government had consistently refused to divulge the purchases made by Mr Khan and his wife from the Toshakhana. It was maintained that the disclosure of any information would jeopardise international ties.
It appears now that it was a loot sale. The former prime minister and his wife retained all the 112 valuables worth Rs 142.02 million at a throwaway price of Rs 38 million along with 52 free gifts worth Rs 800,200. Mr Khan claims that he built the Bani Gala road by selling gifts from the Toshakhana. CDA has negated this, maintaining that the patch of road cost only Rs 3 million. Why didn’t Mr Khan direct CDA to build the road or use the funds at the disposal of the PM?
Soon after taking over Mr Khan propagated austerity. Mr Khan could have lived and worked from the PM House to cut travel expenses. He preferred instead to travel by helicopter. According to Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb, the helicopter’s total fuel and maintenance cost over four years amounted to over Rs 980 million.
Such is Mr Khan’s spell over his supporters that they outright dismiss any wrongdoing on his part. They have already rejected the security agencies’ reconfirmation that there was no international conspiracy to oust the PTI government. The incriminating evidence in the foreign funding case is also likely to be rejected by the PTI’s activists, most of whom were introduced into politics by Mr Khan. It will take time and a lot of convincing evidence before they change their outlook. Most of all, they need a replacement in the form of a party that is perceived to be honest, responsive and meritorious.
As PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari traveled to London to meet ex-PM Nawaz Sharif, media was abuzz with rumours that the visit was aimed at securing key constitutional offices for the PPP. It was interesting to find Nawaz Sharif admitting no single party could extract Pakistan from the economic, political and diplomatic mess and Mr Zardari talking about working together as the PPP snd PML(N) did while formulating the Charter of Democracy and passing the 18th Amendment. In case the youthful leadership of the mainstream parties is able to lift their parties’ images, which is an uphill task, and Mr Khan’s misadventures lead to a blind alley, the bulk of PTI activists might consider changing loyalties.
