Change is inevitable
After failing on all fronts a relentless campaign has been launched against IK by ruling coalition with majority support of print and electronic media. On the other side IK single handedly battling with remarkable results. Nearly 16 cases have been filed against him mainly to keep him busy on these cases. Government is confused and is under great pressure over his success story as he continues to draw millions of people in his public meetings called at short notice. The point to understand is that now people all over the country has accepted his narrative to bring change and defeat all those who looted the poor people money. Notwithstanding government has brought changes in laws and NAB has been made dysfunctional and toothless to gain personal benefits but people have not liked this approach and they are not going to reconcile with the amendments made in NAB laws
It is now 7 years that just one question was posed to Nawaz Sharif and family about properties owned by them in UK that still remains unanswered. Initially they denied its ownership and later on justified the ownership of these properties by delivering speech on 16 May 2016 in the parliament and said” JANAB SPEAKER YAI HAIN WOO ZARAI”. However, after sharp criticism by opposition declared that it was a political statement. Nation still wants answer of that one question asked in 2016 “What was the source of income, how money was transferred in UK, just provide trail of money that’s all” that has not been provided. Is it not strange that FIA and FBR are silent, courts clearing them from corruption and money laundering cases when corruption is fully documented? This is a unique method of handling corruption cases, it’s time to sell this software in rest of the world and earn foreign exchange to retire loans. There is long list of cases filed against IK, out of these foreign funded case is considered to be high profile case. Brief facts of the case are given as under for the interest of readers
Foreign funding case verdict was announced after 8 years delay for which there was no justification at all. It is not a case in isolation our superior courts have been taking much more time in announcing judgements of cases. Former Chief Justice Saqib Nisar was very vocal and accepted delays and said it was judge’s failure. The bench was headed by Chief Election Commissioner with two members, it was majority decision against PTI. It has been rejected by PTI followed by protests all over Pakistan in front of election commission offices. The verdict has been hailed by PDM and government has moved the case in SC for IK disqualification. On the other hand, PTI has challenged the verdict in Islamabad High Court. PDM is celebrating the decision without realizing that it is going to be a long drawn war. EC decision has some glaring observations that cannot be overlooked. Many questions remain unanswered. IK repeated his old narrative and criticized PDM leaders specially the federal cabinet that has large number of ministers who are on bail including Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif. Apart from this case government has moved reference against IK for concealing sale of Tosha Khana gifts in the open market. Although these gifts were purchased by IK after paying 20 % of the actual price fixed by the government as per rules in vogue and there is no bar in disposing them off anywhere, but morally it was not correct.
The foreign funding case was filed in November 2014 by Akbar S Ahmed founder member of PTI. Both enjoyed good relations, but suddenly due to personal differences with IK he left the party and approached ECP to take action against his foreign funding being utilized for purposes other than construction of hospitals. ECP took 8 years to decide this case therefore they owe explanation to the nation. IK started fund raising in December 2011 for Shaukat Khanum Memorial Hospital and we can see number of hospitals on the ground. There was no secret to fund collection it was collected in UK, USA and UAE and in Pakistan by holding charity dinners, our media also participated fully and ran special transmissions in this noble cause. The foreign funding restrictions were announced in 2017 and therefore it is not applicable to PTI until law is amended and applied with retrospective effect. IK contested elections in 2018 how come ECP cleared him to contest elections, if there was some irregularity in his declaration why show cause notice was not issued and IK was cleared to contest the elections from different constituencies. This is not going to help PDM and shall back fire. There are other political parties also who have been collecting funds and accepting donations and no proper accounts are held, whereas PTI funds were used to raise hospitals duly audited and accounts are properly maintained. This must be stated clearly that people want change and break from status quo, therefore, all attempts to disqualify IK shall fail and prove counterproductive because IK has won his narrative and with the passage of time shall emerge as the winner. PDM should concentrate on good governance and must reach to flood affected areas in Baluchistan and Southern Punjab. Likewise, people are dying in Sind due to lack of attention of government, people are crying for help shelter and food. Second confusion in government camps is on account of PTI en mass resignation from National Assembly.
123 MNA’s of PTI tendered their resignations on a PTI letter head with signatures affixed against their names and they all walked out of the parliament after acceptance by Deputy Speaker Suri who was presiding over the session of the parliament. Under Article 64(1) any member may “by writing under his hand addressed to the Speaker resigns his seat” Also under Article 64(2) The House may declare the seat of a member vacant if, without leave of the House, he remains absent for forty consecutive days of its sittings. If these resignations were in violation of Article 64(1) is debatable but these could be accepted under Article 64(2) since they collectively walked off from parliament on 14 April, but present speaker insists they all have to come and individually verify the signatures. Now CJP has advised PTI to join the parliament and play their role as they were elected by voters for 5 years. There is nothing wrong with what CJ SC has said but it is not a case of arbitration but of a political party seeking ruling against speaker who is not willing to accept resignations until each MNA comes and verified it. We have made mockery of rules that’s why each time our members approach SC to settle their political disputes. Lastly the media and the top leadership of the country making lot of noise and criticizing IHC decision to accept the apology of Chairman PTI in contempt of court case. It is a matter of record that Superior courts have been extra kind and liberal in extending such facilities to top leadership of PML N, so much so even NS was given extra relief by allowing him to proceed to UK while being in prison by setting new precedence in judicial history allowing for treatment abroad for 6 weeks in 2019 but he never returned. Mariam Nawaz was granted bail on 4 Nov 2019 on humanitarian grounds to look after her ailing father who is now living in UK. Why Mariam Nawaz is free, why her bail was not cancelled? She has been leading her party holding public meetings. Now her sentence has been set aside. This simply reflects that courts are extra kind to PML N leaders therefore criticism on courts that IK is getting special concessions is devoid of truth and ground realities. It is correct that IK has not been careful and faltered in choosing appropriate words while addressing his supporters but he is not the only one almost all our political leaders behave like this including learned ministers. In fact, all political top leadership must weigh their words before uttering anything because everything is being recorded to be replayed as and when needed. The courts have most difficult task to perform and are very clear in their mind that losing party never accepts the judgement and shall always criticize the judges and courts but that is how the justice is administered all over the world
Martin Luther King Jr said “Human progress is neither automatic nor inevitable. Every step towards goal of justice requires sacrifice, suffering, and struggle; the tireless exertions and passionate concern of dedicated individuals”. IK has these qualities in the words of Joe Biden “Failure at one point in your life is inevitable, but giving up is unforgivable”.
