Asfandyar Wali’s analysis
The ANP’s Asfandyar Wali Khan, according to Daily Nawa-i-Waqt (19 March 2018), expressed his view that politics and decency (siyasat aur sharafat) had never passed by Imran Khan. He added that decency in politics had, in fact, ended with Khan’s arrival. Commenting on the Senate elections, he said that previously it was said that horses were being sold [horse-trading], but that this time entire stables had been sold.
Broken mirror
Ahsan Iqbal was quoted by Daily Express (20 March 2018) reacting to Imran Khan’s statement that he would not be able to see his face in the mirror if he entered an alliance with Zardari. According to the report, Ahsan Iqbal responded to this by informing Khan that the mirror was already broken, and asking who he was trying to fool after the Senate Elections.
A medical affair?
Daily Jang (20 March 2018) reported that a medical officer at a hospital in Swat had been caught frolicking (rang-ralliaan manaatay) with a woman described as a resident of Malakand. On receiving initial reports of such activity, police were also called to the scene, but no arrests were made. The report went on to say that an investigative committee had been formed to look into the matter.
Prince of reformers?
Daily Nawa-i-Waqt (20 March 2018) quoted Saudi Crown Prince Muhammad bin Salman as saying that in Islam there was no difference between men and women and that he had announced equal pay for both. When asked a question about Yemen, he stated that Iran had attempted to impose its ideology on a large part of that country and that the Houthis posed a risk to Saudi national security.
Where the money comes from
It was reported by Daily Jang (21 March 2018) that Afzal Qadri of the Tehreek-e-Labbayk, when asked about the organisation’s sources of income, claimed that they received unseen and Divine assistance (Allah Ta’alah se ghaibi imdaad aati hai). He went on to warn that the dervishes (darveshon aur Karbalaion) should not be bothered, or else they would resort to something more than a dharna (dharna nahin, purrao daalein ge).
Technical troubles
According to Daily Jang (22 March 2018), when PTI chief Imran Khan arrived for a rally in Punjab, the DJ by mistake played the song “Dekho dekho chor aaya” (Look, look, a thief arrived). The report stated that this error became the occasion for laughter in the crowd. Later, as his speech was interrupted by slogans, he referred to party workers as “stupid” and asked them to sit down.
Counting our blessings
Daily Dunya (25 March 2018) quoted Sheikh Rasheed as saying that it was a matter of being grateful that the word “judicial” was attached to “martial law” (ehsaan samjhein keh abhi martial law ke saath judicial ka lafz lagaya hai). He added that there was a group of turncoats (lotay) within the PML-N who had previously sided with Musharraf and were now looking for new ways outside the PML-N.
Showdown with secularists?
Siraj-ul-Haq of the Jamaat-e-Islami, according to Daily Dunya (25 March 2018), opined that the secular class (secular tabqa) was afraid due to the restoration of the MMA. He further stated that the time of political Brahmins and pundits was about to end. He added that the pulpits (minbar o mehraab) would be good positions (morchay) from which to purify the country from Dajal’s politics (Dajali siyasat) and Western culture.
On Politics
Daily Dunya (25 March 2018) quoted a spokesperson for Chaudhry Nisar as saying that one who had remained a minister under a military regime ought not to pose as the Aristotle of democracy, and that Javed Hashmi had changed his political loyalties with a gust of the wind (hawaa ke jhonkay ke saath).
Revolutionary Punjab
Chief Minister Punjab Shehbaz Sharif, according to Daily Dunya (23 March 2018) claimed that those who wished to see progress (taraqi) and a revolution (inquilab) ought to look towards Punjab. In his view, the administration there had done what even India could not do in the field of education.
Wisdom from Khursheed Shah
Khursheed Shah of the PPP observed, according to Daily Dunya (24 March 2018), that there was a tough competition between the PML-N and Chaudhry Nisar: the latter wanted the party to remove him, while the party wanted him to leave of his own accord. He went on to observe that the PML-N had been betrayed not by the PPP but by its own. Regarding the issue of a judicial martial law, he opined that Sheikh Rasheed had tried to be “over smart”.