Imran Khan has a knack of creating new enemies. And he is equally good at forgetting the old ones.
He once called the Natt House a den of corruption and accused Nine-Zero of running a killing spree in Pakistan’s economic hub. The two political power-houses in Gujrat and Karachi deflated his charges by threatening to dig into his own past.
He doesn’t fight with Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) and the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) anymore. Instead he has been sending delegations to urge the PML-Q leadership to join his anti-government protests, and also wants the MQM in the same chorus.
After the 2008 general elections, he found a new enemy – President Asif Ali Zardari. Considered the most cool-headed politician of Pakistan, President Zardari was unmoved in the face of serious allegations on his personality and his party.
In the run up to the 2013 general elections, the Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaaf (PTI) chairman realized his real political rivals were the Sharif brothers. He upped the ante and built a perception he would either sweep the elections or suffer from massive rigging.
While his animosity with the Sharif brothers was keeping his plate full, he opened another front. This time the target was former chief justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry and his son Arsalan Iftikhar.
[quote]Arsalan will file a reference against Imran Khan to de-seat him from Parliament [/quote]
In a bizarre decision, the Balochistan government recently appointed Arsalan Iftikhar as vice chairman of the provincial Board of Investment. PTI and other opposition parties lambasted the decision.
Arsalan – notoriously referred to by his detractors as ‘don’ – also has a dubious past. Inducted in the civil service as a section officer in Balochistan health department, he climbed up the professional ladder with an unsual speed. In 2005, the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) acquired his service despite the fact that he was merely an MBBS doctor having no experience in criminal investigation.
It was alleged that this happened because of his father’s influence. Before too long, Arsalan left the service and launched his own business, and became a millionaire in no time. He says he was appointed to the Balochistan Board of Investment because of his business credentials.
Facing unbearable pressure, the ruling National Party of Balochistan reverted the decision. Arsalan claims he resigned voluntarily.
Imran Khan alleges that the former chief justice had colluded with the PML-N in massive electoral rigging. On the basis of “circumstantial evidence”, he assumes Arsalan Iftikhar was rewarded for that favor. In his public rallies, Khan questions Arsalan Iftikhar’s luxurious lifestyle, saying he “lives like a prince”.
Arsalan said he would sue the PTI chairman. He has already approached the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to have him disqualified as a Member of the National Assembly. He vowed to use all available legal forums to question “his lies and tainted past.” He said the PTI chairman did not fulfill the criteria of Article 62 (d) and (f) of the Constitution. The sub-clauses only allow an honest person of good character to become member of Parliament. He claimed to be in possession of several legal documents which would de-seat the PTI chairman. Arsalan Iftikhar has also hinted that his father plans to sue the PTI chairman as well.
It seems that the PTI chairman is going to fight a tedious legal battle at a time when he is planning to launch a movement to dislodge the PML-N government under the pretext of electoral reforms.
Arsalan will approach National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq to forward a reference against Imran Khan to the Election Commission. The speaker is himself engaged in a legal battle with Khan, who has challenged his victory from the NA-122 constituency in Lahore.
An official of the National Assembly says the office of speaker works like a post office in such matters. Upon receiving a reference against a member, the speaker only refers the matter to the ECP for investigation and further action.
PTI spokeswoman Dr Shireen Mazari warned the ECP against entertaining Arsalan’s petition against her party’s chairman. “Everyone knows he is a corrupt man with a dubious past,” she said. “And therefore, his allegations do not warrant any consideration.”
The PTI chairman has already announced a ‘tsunami’ march on Islamabad on August 14. He said more than a million people would stage a protest outside the Parliament until the government gives in to their demands. He made it clear his movement must not be taken as an attempt to derail democracy.
Meanwhile, Dr Tahirul Qadri is also launching his own so-called revolution in the second week of August. So far, the PTI and Qadri’s Pakistan Awami Tehrik have failed to converge on a common agenda.
A source in the Prime Minister’s cabinet said the government would adhere to the policy of wearing its political rivals out. Former president Zardari recently advised the prime minister to stay cool. He referred to his own experience of dealing with Dr Qadri when he had staged a week-long sit-in outside Parliament in the final days of the People’s Party government. The source said the prime minister has given Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan the responsibility to deal with both Dr Qadri and Imran Khan.
The interior minister is an old Aitchisonian and probably the least disliked member of the prime minister’s cabinet by Khan. Chaudhry Nisar has also known Qadri for decades, when the latter had good ties with the Sharif brothers and their father.
Shahzad Raza is an Islamabad-based journalist.
Twitter: @shahzadrez
He once called the Natt House a den of corruption and accused Nine-Zero of running a killing spree in Pakistan’s economic hub. The two political power-houses in Gujrat and Karachi deflated his charges by threatening to dig into his own past.
He doesn’t fight with Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) and the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) anymore. Instead he has been sending delegations to urge the PML-Q leadership to join his anti-government protests, and also wants the MQM in the same chorus.
After the 2008 general elections, he found a new enemy – President Asif Ali Zardari. Considered the most cool-headed politician of Pakistan, President Zardari was unmoved in the face of serious allegations on his personality and his party.
In the run up to the 2013 general elections, the Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaaf (PTI) chairman realized his real political rivals were the Sharif brothers. He upped the ante and built a perception he would either sweep the elections or suffer from massive rigging.
While his animosity with the Sharif brothers was keeping his plate full, he opened another front. This time the target was former chief justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry and his son Arsalan Iftikhar.
[quote]Arsalan will file a reference against Imran Khan to de-seat him from Parliament [/quote]
In a bizarre decision, the Balochistan government recently appointed Arsalan Iftikhar as vice chairman of the provincial Board of Investment. PTI and other opposition parties lambasted the decision.
Arsalan – notoriously referred to by his detractors as ‘don’ – also has a dubious past. Inducted in the civil service as a section officer in Balochistan health department, he climbed up the professional ladder with an unsual speed. In 2005, the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) acquired his service despite the fact that he was merely an MBBS doctor having no experience in criminal investigation.
It was alleged that this happened because of his father’s influence. Before too long, Arsalan left the service and launched his own business, and became a millionaire in no time. He says he was appointed to the Balochistan Board of Investment because of his business credentials.
Facing unbearable pressure, the ruling National Party of Balochistan reverted the decision. Arsalan claims he resigned voluntarily.
Imran Khan alleges that the former chief justice had colluded with the PML-N in massive electoral rigging. On the basis of “circumstantial evidence”, he assumes Arsalan Iftikhar was rewarded for that favor. In his public rallies, Khan questions Arsalan Iftikhar’s luxurious lifestyle, saying he “lives like a prince”.
Arsalan said he would sue the PTI chairman. He has already approached the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to have him disqualified as a Member of the National Assembly. He vowed to use all available legal forums to question “his lies and tainted past.” He said the PTI chairman did not fulfill the criteria of Article 62 (d) and (f) of the Constitution. The sub-clauses only allow an honest person of good character to become member of Parliament. He claimed to be in possession of several legal documents which would de-seat the PTI chairman. Arsalan Iftikhar has also hinted that his father plans to sue the PTI chairman as well.
It seems that the PTI chairman is going to fight a tedious legal battle at a time when he is planning to launch a movement to dislodge the PML-N government under the pretext of electoral reforms.
Arsalan will approach National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq to forward a reference against Imran Khan to the Election Commission. The speaker is himself engaged in a legal battle with Khan, who has challenged his victory from the NA-122 constituency in Lahore.
An official of the National Assembly says the office of speaker works like a post office in such matters. Upon receiving a reference against a member, the speaker only refers the matter to the ECP for investigation and further action.
PTI spokeswoman Dr Shireen Mazari warned the ECP against entertaining Arsalan’s petition against her party’s chairman. “Everyone knows he is a corrupt man with a dubious past,” she said. “And therefore, his allegations do not warrant any consideration.”
The PTI chairman has already announced a ‘tsunami’ march on Islamabad on August 14. He said more than a million people would stage a protest outside the Parliament until the government gives in to their demands. He made it clear his movement must not be taken as an attempt to derail democracy.
Meanwhile, Dr Tahirul Qadri is also launching his own so-called revolution in the second week of August. So far, the PTI and Qadri’s Pakistan Awami Tehrik have failed to converge on a common agenda.
A source in the Prime Minister’s cabinet said the government would adhere to the policy of wearing its political rivals out. Former president Zardari recently advised the prime minister to stay cool. He referred to his own experience of dealing with Dr Qadri when he had staged a week-long sit-in outside Parliament in the final days of the People’s Party government. The source said the prime minister has given Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan the responsibility to deal with both Dr Qadri and Imran Khan.
The interior minister is an old Aitchisonian and probably the least disliked member of the prime minister’s cabinet by Khan. Chaudhry Nisar has also known Qadri for decades, when the latter had good ties with the Sharif brothers and their father.
Shahzad Raza is an Islamabad-based journalist.
Twitter: @shahzadrez