Imran’s headache: His lawmakers and their many controversies
ISLAMABAD:A little over two weeks have passed since Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf took power at the centre and two provinces, and multiple controversies have already given the new prime minister many headaches.
This week, Pakistan’s chief justice ordered PTI provincial assembly member Dr Imran Shah to donate Rs3 million to the Diamer-Bhasha Dam fund as penalty. Shah was also banned from travelling in a luxury vehicle for up to one year. The reason? Shah had slapped Dawood Chauhan, a citizen, in a fit of rage on a Karachi street after Chauhan got between the lawmaker’s vehicle and that of his guards.
Another lawmaker who has repeatedly courted controversy is Punjab’s provincial information and culture minister, Fayazul Hassan Chohan, who drew the ire of social media users for calling Adolf Hitler one of his “favourite rulers”.
But his controversies do not end there. While advocating for a ban of “vulgar” film posters outside cinemas, he was filmed using colourful language, with many of his misogynistic remarks directed towards female artistes.
A few days earlier, he was seen abusing a private TV channel’s technical staff after he was asked about his controversial remarks in the past.
The issue has not been restricted to the provinces. Foreign minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi recently embarrassed the government with his remarks on a conversation between Khan and US secretary of state Mike Pompeo.
The controversy erupted after the US state department stated that Pompeo raised the importance of Khan’s government taking “decisive action” against all terrorists operating in Pakistan.
Pakistan’s foreign ministry took exception, saying that a “factually incorrect statement” had been issued by the state department.
Qureshi would later tell the Senate that he knew the US position about the talks between Pompeo and Khan but he was also aware what US said in the readout was “contrary to the facts”.
It was only after the US provided the recording of the conversation between Imran Khan and Pompeo, Pakistan backed down, insisting that it wanted good relations between the two countries.
Another minister who exceeded his brief and got into hot waters was information minister Fawad Chaudhry, who made the startling revelation on TV that Khan’ s helicopter com mute costs between 50 to 55 rupees per km.
But the controversy that really caught people’s attention was one that involved the first lady’s ex-husband. A police team led by Rizwan Omar Gondal briefly intercepted the car of Khawar Maneka – formerly married to first lady Bushra Imran – after he didn’t stop when signalled to do so. Khawar was also believed to have misbehaved with the officials.
Gondal was later directed to visit Khawar’s residence and tender an apology to him for intercepting the vehicle. The call, interestingly, was made by a colonel of the ISI. Shortly afterwards, he was transferred.