If anyone is fit to lecture the nation on morality, it is my Prime Minister Imran Khan as he has set high moral standards, both in personal life and politics. The Supreme Court of Pakistan under honourable Chief Justice Saqib Nisar has certified him as Sadiq and Amin, perhaps the only Pakistani politician who has cleared the high bar of article 62 and 63 of our constitution. He is, hence, legally authorized to cast the first stone, a privilege that he avails often. In the last two weeks, in his three addresses — to the nation, parliament and cabinet — he resorted to pedagogy underlining the importance of morality in the life of nations, and flogged the corrupt PDM leadership for its poor moral standards.
Imran Khan’s morality talks have enraged his detractors, who, blinded by enmity, argue that IK is a man of unenviable morality both as politician and human being. Nothing can be farther from the truth for IK is genuinely Mr. clean and handsome to boot. (Imran-haters are particularly infuriated at the mention of his Greek-god looks.) I’m not a blind follower of IK, so instead of brushing aside all the allegations against my leader in a sweep, I will puncture all one by one through cognitive process.
To start with, Frederik Obermaier, a German investigative Journalist, revealed in 2017 that IK too had avoided paying taxes to the UK using an offshore firm, Niazi Services Limited, and in 1984, he had mortgaged a one-bedroom apartment in London through this company. IK later declared his flat through a tax amnesty scheme in 2,000. How stupid this allegation is, for it didn’t involve Pakistani taxpaers’ money, and it was a matter between the UK and Imran Khan. Next, please.
Aleema Khan, IK’s sister made properties in USA and Dubai worth hundreds of millions of Rupees through sewing machines, and declared these in 2017 in a tax amnesty scheme, when a reporter had already unearthed the properties. It’s another unintelligent accusation. She later paid Rs 29.5 millions to FBR in fines. It was not Shaukat Khanum Hospital’s money. Period!
Another question about the political morality of IK was raised by Hakim Muhammad Saeed many moons back, when he said that IK would be brought into politics soon, as there were interna- tional forces that wanted to control Pakistan through their ‘man’. About this accusation, the lesser said the better. This hokum by Hakim sb was perhaps a result of an overdose of Rooh Afza.
Likewise, Abdul Sattar Edhi once accused Imran Khan of being a part of a conspiracy hatched by Gen (Retd) Hameed Gul to replace the elected government of Benazir Bhutto. This is a baseless allegation. Edhi was a dedicated philanthropist but was not interested in taking a bath often, that too in Karachi’s sultry weather, which led to muddled thinking.
There’s a long list of similar mindless allegations — from Bani Gala residence’s regularization to Zaman Park House recent construction not justified by IK’s tax returns, from a stack of ATMs to a heap of scandals. These airy allegations don’t deserve more space. Fast forward.
This morality talk started the day Yusuf Raza Gillani won the Senate elections. PM accused PDM of buying votes, something rather immoral. Now, it will be quite inane to talk about the vote of no confidence against Sanjrani sb about one and a half years ago, when the opposition’s majority was converted into minority. After all two wrongs don’t make a right.
One word about Mr Moral Vowda, who on the day of Senate elections, cast his vote and then immediately resigned from his NA seat, to become a senator. The next day the Islamabad High Court declared his affidavit regarding his nationality false, which meant, he fooled the entire system for two and a half years. Now, this may be described sheer immorality. But what has IK to do with it? Vowda perhaps fooled IK as well. And why is it immoral if Abdul Qadir from Baluchistan, whose ticket was withdrawn by IK, contested and won a Senate seat, and then reposed full confidence in IK and joined PTI. As we have seen, all criticism on IK’s morality is a product of pathological hatred against Mr Clean. He is our saviour, a gift from God. He’s a man with a grand vision who will fight alone, if need be, and never give NRO to the corrupt.
