SOLUTION, NOT COSMETICS: AN APOLOGY FOR IMRAN KHAN'S GOVERNMENT

Prime Minister Imran Khan (left) with Finance Minister Asad Umar (right)

     When Imran Khan - former cricketer-playboy and the current chairperson of PTI (the largest political party in Pakistan) - became the Prime Minister in August 2018 after his party secured the most number of votes finally after a constant struggle of 20+ years, the newly-elected PM vouched to cleanse the country from corruption and poverty. He promised to pull Pakistan out of bankruptcy and redeem the honor of the Green Passport (i.e. the Pakistani passport). He asked for 100 days so people could observe the first-look of Khan's Naya (New) Pakistan.

    100 days have long passed and people are asking where Khan's tabdeeli (change) is. They want to know what happened to his promises and the tsunami he had swore to bring in the country against the corrupt politicians. NAB (National Accountability Bureau) is prosecuting many politicians from PML(N) (Pakistan Muslim League [Nawaz]) and PPP(P) (Pakistan People's Party [Parliamentarians]) - the former ruling parties of Pakistan - for the charges of assets-beyond-means and money-laundering. PML and PPP leaders are accusing the Government of taking political revenge and weakening their vote-bank through improper means. Dollar, once again, is mocking rupee from the heights of economic heaven. Oil, gas and electricity have become more expensive than ever. Recently in December, Karachi - the economic hub of the country and the largest city in Pakistan - suffered a violent CNG shortage. What change did Khan bring? Is he another lying politician who attracts large masses through catchy slogans, lures the people to vote for him and then forgets his promises once he gets elected.

    I remember Hasan Nisar saying once: "Sharif's face has darkened after he stepped down from his seat, Khan's face darkened after he stepped up on his seat." There is, indeed, a large difference between the former and the current Prime Minster of Pakistan (one can ignore the clown Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and interim PM Justice [R] Nasir-ul-Mulk).

    Nawaz Sharif was elected three times as the PM of Islamic Republic of Pakistan. He was never able to make it for complete five years. This is what he often talks about that none of the PMs were allowed to take their complete turn either due to any conflict with the judiciary or because of military intervention. This moron - who can't even speak without being tutored by his goonies - doesn't realize that a PM is not chosen to rule the country for five years; he is elected as a public servant. If a PM is not doing his job, what's the point of letting his around for five years? Is Sharif trying to say that a PM must never be deposed even if he breaks a law or harms the security of Pakistan? This is exactly what the Umayyads and the Abbasids preached about the sanctity of the throne of khilafah i.e. a Caliph cannot be demoted even if he becomes a tyrant. Grow up, Sharif! This is democracy, not a dictatorship.

    This is the same Nawaz Sharif who wanted PM Gilani to step down when the court prosecuted him for insult. Then, when Gilani was found guilty and got deposed, Sharif counted it as a victory for the Pakistani judicial system. Sharif boasted that he was the person who strove to make our courts great again. Then, when the same courts who were allegedly liberated by Sharif, de-seated him, he marched against Supreme Court's decision and became notorious for saying: "Mujhe Kiu Nikala (Why Ousted Me)?" Are the laws applicable on one PM not applicable on another one? Sharif also cried out: "Look how these five people tore the vote-parchment of 200 million people!" He was referring to the judicial bench composed of five senior judges including the CJ Saqib Nisar. Is Sharif telling people that judges don't have the right to prosecute or punish a politician who has large public support? This is bullshit! Then what does Sharif have to say about Baba Ram Rahim? He was a rapist. Indian SC found him guilty. His followers also believed that SC had no right to punish their leader. Is this how we want to run our country?

Ex-PM Nawaz Sharif

     In contrast to the beliefs of Sharif, we have Khan who has always trusted SC. When the courts ruled against him in the petition to check evidences of rigging in General Elections 2013, PTI admitted their failure to impress the judges. Similarly, when Tareen was disqualified like Sharif, PTI stated that their leaders respected the court's decision. People criticize PTI for supporting TLP's Faizabad protest but opposing their rallies against the liberty of Asia Bibi. Let's have a look at this accusation.

    When TLP protested in December 2016 at Faizabad (Islamabad), they were protesting for an actual breach of Islamic values. A PML minister Zahid Hamid had actually tried to remove the Khatm-e-Nubuwwat regulation. In Pakistan, we only consider those people as Muslims who believe in Muhammad - peace and blessings be upon him and his progeny - as the final prophet. Ahmadiyah community assumes that their leader Mirza Ghulam Ahmad of Qadian was a messenger of Allah. Thus, Ahmadis/Qadianis are considered non-Muslims. Though I am against the persecution of this peaceful community in Pakistan and I think there is no harm in being friendly with these people, I believe they're non-Muslims. PML's attempt to please their Euro-American masters by admitting a non-Muslim faction into the Islamic community is blameworthy. TLP rightfully protested against such an un-Islamic attempt.

Khan at D-Chowk

     TLP's second large protest was held in November 2018 when they marched against the judicial decision in which CJ Nisar had liberated Asia Bibi from the charges of blasphemy labelled upon her. Asia Bibi was accused of insulting Prophet Muhammad during PPP's government. She was convincted by the lower courts and then she failed to prove herself innocent in the High Court. CJ Nisar revoked the previous decisions and ruled that the case against Asia was quite weak. Hence, Asia was released from imprisonment. TLP burst into a violent series of protests and rallies. Even their top leaders issued death penalty for CJ, other judges in the bench and the Army Chief Qamar Javed Bajwa. Such acts are called terroism and high treason. So, PTI's opposition to TLP regarding Asia Bibi's case is justified. Soon after the Government cooled down the hate wave, TLP's founder Khadim Hussain Rizvi - a fanatical mullah notorious for his badmouthing against rival religious leaders - was put under house arrest.

    What really grinds my gears is when PPP and PML mock at Khan for still being at the D-Chowk. It is a reference to when Khan protested during PML's government at D-Chowk (Islamabad) and launched verbal missiles against PM Sharif. They say Khan is still at D-Chowk. I say, yeah, he is still at D-Chowk. He is not a hypocrite. Whatever he said at D-Chowk when there was less than 50% chance of him being the PM, he still says the very things now after actually becoming the PM. This is the siyasat of Ali ibn Abi Talib; whether you're weak or in power, you should believe and speak the same things. Khan believed in his views (some of them I don't agree with) and he still believes in them. For example, Khan believes that Pakistan participated in the American war against terrorism. I think this is stupid of Imran Khan. The war against terrorism had always been our war, not USA's. But I salute Khan for sticking with his theory. He had been saying "This is American war, not Pakistani" since the days of Musharraf. Can you call this man a liar or a hypocrite?

    What I find quite blasphemous is that PPP and PML criticize Khan for the poverty in Pakistan. They say that oil, gas, electricity and other valuables have become expensive. I say, yes, they have. Prices have increased since Khan took control. But prices did increase when PPP succeeded Musharraf. Prices did increase when PML succeeded PPP. How can you criticize PTI government for something we can criticize your government for too?

    Now, what change does it make with Khan being in power and Sharif-Zardari being in prison (in the future, insha'Allah)! Because Khan is solving our economic problems, not applying cosmetics over them. Sharif's Finance Minister Ishaq Dar used to put cosmetics over these problems. Khan's FM Asad Umar is actually solving them. It can even take 1-2 years for our economics to fully recover but people can rest assured these problems will go away. What Dar did was to sustain Pakistan for five years and then we all could go to hell! What Asad Umar is doing is to give us the actual medicine we needed. This medicine is going to be more bitter than the fake ones we consumed but, at least, we'll regain our health.

Minhaj ul-Qur'an founder Dr. Tahir ul-Qadri

     Khan has actually the same nature as that Tahir-ul-Qadri. Both are honest politicians but both have a bad habit of speaking the things they can't just do. Khan boasted that he would force these corrupt politicians to vomit the stolen money out. He forgot that NAB and SC are going to work slowly and inefficiently. I respect CJ Nisar but I believe he was soft with Sharif. He just disqualified Sharif on a single iqamah when the JIT had shown Nisar that Sharif was arguably the most professional of all corrupt Pakistani politicians. Nisar could sentence Sharif to life imprisonment for his crimes but, no, Nisar got cold feet and he meekly disqualified Sharif. A mere slap on the face for murdering someone! Khan should have known that all the institutions in Pakistan had been under the influence of PPP and PML since past 30 years. Only one Pakistani institution is immune from this filth i.e. our army. I also have issues with army and I think our army deliberately wants India and Pakistan to fight against each other. But I think army is also the only reason why Pakistan is still standing on its feet. People say army brought Khan into government. I say, yes, they did. I just think they failed to give him 2/3rd majority in the Parliament. Army and Khan, the two most honest and the most patriotic of all Pakistani entities, are currently working to make Pakistan great again. Khan thought he could do a magic trick by forcing Sharif to surrender his stolen wealth. No, Khan, you were naive. It would take you eternity to defeat Sharif. Khan was counting on Sharif's wealth to help the poor Pakistani people. Now, as there is no chance for Sharif to surrender easily, Khan has to find some other means to help us. But he is a great guy. He already has found alternate means i.e. Saudi-Chinese wealth. Now, with the help of a sharp economist such as FM Asad Umar, Khan will surely remove poverty. It will took 1-2 years but, as we've waited for 70+ years, what's wrong with waiting for another 25 months?

Khan's 100 Days Plan (though more than a hundred days have passed since PTI emerged victorious in General Elections 2018)