News Analysis |
Imran Khan, Chairman of Pakistan Tehreek-i- Insaf (PTI), who claims to be the champion of western-style democracy in Pakistan, has greatly dismayed his supporters and well-wishers in Pakistan. Imran’s poor and indecent choice of words to describe the supporters of PML-N generated a controversy in the country. The Election Commission of Pakistan took a notice of Khan’s ‘indecent language’ and has ordered him to be careful in the future.
Apart from Imran Khan, there are a number of politicians who not only used bad language for their political opponents but also make derogatory comments to ‘insult’ women politicians.
According to media reports, on July 12, the eve of Nawaz Sharif and Maryam Nawaz’s return to Pakistan to surrender themselves to the authorities, Khan had stated that whoever goes to receive the Sharifs at the airport “must be a donkey”.
Senator Saadia Abbasi, sister of former Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, took strong exception to PTI chief Imran Khan’s remarks: “Those greeting Nawaz Sharif are donkeys”
Read more: Imran Khan’s public rally is the violation of ECP’s order
She said during a session of the Senate that she would be shortly leaving for Lahore to greet PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif, and added that 36 senators of the PML-N had already left for Lahore. “Are there 37 donkeys sitting in this House?” she asked, adding: “Is this the language of politicians?”
Imran was directed to appear before the ECP, but due to his busy schedule, he could not make his presence before the bench. Babar Awan appeared before the ECP on his behalf. It was sad to learn that initially, Awan defended the word’s usage, saying: “Donkey is an ordinary word; even teachers use the word here.”
“Teachers have a different standing,” a four-member commission, led by the ECP’s Sindh member Abdul Ghaffar Soomro, replied. “When major leaders use such language, it doesn’t send a good impression [of Pakistan] to the world.”
Later on, Awan submitted a written assurance on the behalf of his client to abide by the ECP’s orders. Challenges to democracy in Pakistan: ‘Indecent Langue’
The Election Commission of Pakistan took a notice of Khan’s ‘unseemly language’ and has ordered him to be careful in the future.
Apart from Imran Khan, there are a number of politicians who not only used bad language for their political opponents but also make derogatory comments to ‘insult’ women politicians.
Rana Sanaullah, former Law Minister of Punjab and senior leader of PML-N, while speaking to reporters outside the Punjab Assembly almost two months ago, made inappropriate comments about PTI workers, saying: “The women who attended the rally were not from honorable families because their dance moves implied where they had actually come from.”
Read more: Why is Imran Khan challenging the ECP?
Another PML-N leader, Abid Sher Ali, also issued derogatory remarks against PTI’s chief whip Shireen Mazari while addressing a public gathering almost two months ago, saying that while she was protesting against Finance Minister Miftah Ismail’s budget speech in the National Assembly, she had said: “Don’t touch me.”
“What is there to touch?” he asked a crowd in Punjabi, in what can be described as an attempt to make a lewd joke.
A senior leader of PML-N and former Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif called Mazari a Tractor Trolley.
JUI-F leader Maulana Fazlur Rehman, former Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chief minister Pervez Khattak and former National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq were also seen using foul language against their political rivals. Profanity is rife among the speech of majority of politicians today.