PML-N leader Khawaja Asif and former PTI leaders Umer and Usman Dar publicly traded barbs on Tuesday after police raided the latter's home and allegedly manhandled his elderly mother.
The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders claimed that former federal defence minister and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Asif had allegedly orchestrated the police raid at around midnight at his home in Sialkot, a city in which both Dar and Asif reside. After the raid, Dar's mother posted a video in which she claimed that around 20 police officers raided their house at midnight and allegedly manhandled her and tore her shirt.
In the video, Dar's 70-year-old mother claimed that Asif had sent the police because she had announced to contest polls in the city.
"I challenge Khawaja Asif, step into the arena, even if you bulldoze my house, see what I do to your (mascot) lion. Even if you handcuff me, I will submit my nomination papers. Don't have any misconception; I will contest elections even if I am in jail," she said in the video.
ایک دفعہ پھر میری والدہ اور میری فیملی کو پولیس کی جانب سے دیر رات زدو کوب کیا گیا، قصور صرف اور صرف خواجہ آصف کا الیکشن میں مقابلہ کرنا اور عمران خان کا ساتھ دینا ہے۔۔ pic.twitter.com/9W4rYGbB4t
— Umer Dar (@UmerPTIOfficial) December 18, 2023
"This is not just my challenge but my vow. This is my message to you [Asif] and the residents of Sialkot," she said.
She reiterated that after hearing of her plans to submit nomination papers, Asif allegedly sent 20 police officers to her home at midnight who broker her front door and manhandled her.
"I appeal to the chief justice to provide me with justice."
The Sialkot police, however, issued a video statement contesting the claims. They confirmed that police had conducted a raid seeking Dar, who is wanted in several cases, including causing damage to property and for anti-state activities on May 9.
Sialkot District Police Officer Hassan stated that they conducted a lawful activity in search of a man wanted for involvement in criminal cases, adding that harbouring and concealing a wanted man and obstructing the police were also crimes. He stated that during their raid, the women in the house misbehaved with them and abused them, while after they left, a story [of torture] was concocted and posted online.
— Sialkot Police (@DpoSialkot) December 19, 2023
Umer, in a statement said that there has to be a limit to shamelessness and callousness.
خواجہ آصف کہتا ہے کہ کوئی شرم ہوتی ہے کوئی حیاء ہوتی ہے!
— Umer Dar (@UmerPTIOfficial) December 18, 2023
بے غیرتی اور بے حسی کی بھی کوئی انتہا ہوتی ہے، عمر ڈار https://t.co/PXFwBHllA0
Umer's brother, Usman Dar, while appearing alongside his mother before the media on Tuesday, called out Asif for this alleged role in the raid and stated that while he had left politics, he would stand by his mother, adding that he was confident his mother would be able to hand a resounding defeat to Asif in polls scheduled for February 8.
خواجہ آصف اگر ایک باپ کی اولاد ہو تو الیکشن سے بھاگنا نہیں! pic.twitter.com/ilrIBD8VmN
— Umer Dar (@UmerPTIOfficial) December 19, 2023
میں نے سیاست ضرور چھوڑی ہے لیکن اپنی ماں کا ساتھ نہیں چھوڑوں گا۔ عثمان ڈار pic.twitter.com/A78KDsWydg
— Umer Dar (@UmerPTIOfficial) December 19, 2023
Meanwhile, Asif responded by stating that he had waged a political battle with his political opponents but had never made things personal, respecting the elders and families of political opponents. He noted that he spent six months in prison during the term of former dictator General Pervez Musharraf and the Imran Khan-led government, including prosecution for Article 6 -- which carries the death sentence -- but on both occasions, he was vindicated by the courts.
Even when cases were lodged against his wife and children, they quietly endured over three dozen court hearings.
میرا خاندان دو نسلوں سے مسلم لیگ کے ساتھ وابستہ ھے اور وفا میری سیاسی شناخت ھے۔
— Khawaja M. Asif (@KhawajaMAsif) December 19, 2023
میں نے کبھی انتقامی سیاست نہیں کی، اللہ کی مدد سے عوام کی محبت کی سیاست کی ھے۔ میں نے ھمیشہ اپنے مخالفین کیساتھ سیاسی جنگ لڑی ھے ذاتیات کی نہیں ۔ میں اپنے مخالفین کے ساتھ جنگ اصولوں کی لڑتا ھوں… pic.twitter.com/xyGnM6uwTq
He further said that he maintained his respect for Dar's mother, referring to her as his sister during his press conference.
Asif added that he condemns such low politics that he would have to sacrifice his ideals, traditions and upbringing.
جو شخص TVپہ بیٹھ اس لیڈر کے خلاف گواہ بن جاۓ جس کی خوشامد میں کفر کی حدود کو چھو جا تا تھا۔ اسکے شر سے میں کیسے محفوظ رہ سکتا ھوں ۔
— Khawaja M. Asif (@KhawajaMAsif) December 19, 2023
میں نے محترمہ کو پریس کانفرنس میں بہن کہا ھے اور مجھے اس رشتے کے تقدس کا پورا احترام ھے۔ نسلوں کے خاندانی تعلق اور رشتہ دار یاں ھیں۔ میں ایسی گھٹیا…
The incident hearkened to a similar incident three years ago, when police had broken the door to the hotel room of PML-N leader Maryam Nawaz in Karachi and arrested her husband, Capt. Safdar early in the morning.
Police broke my room door at the hotel I was staying at in Karachi and arrested Capt. Safdar.
— Maryam Nawaz Sharif (@MaryamNSharif) October 19, 2020
Public reaction
Subsequently, supporters of Dar and Asif tweeted message backing their favoured personality.
Some social media users calimed that this was an election stunt by Umer Dar who was now using his mother for the purpose.
عمران نیازی نے عثمان ڈار یا اسکی والدہ کو ٹکٹ کا انکار کر دیا ۔
— Badar Shahbaz 🇵🇰🇵🇸 (@BSWarraich) December 19, 2023
اور عثمان ڈار اپنی والدہ سے الیکشن کے لئے کیا کیا کروا رہا ہے۔
ڈار برادران شرم کرو حیا کرو۔۔۔
اب آخری حل ہے اپنا ایکسرے پکڑ کر ووٹ مانگ لینا۔۔۔۔
Another pointed to the police statement on the raid to hide the fact that he is still wanted by the police.
پنجاب پولیس کا اہم بیان۔
— Hafiz Chand Sheikh (@HafzChand) December 19, 2023
عمر ڈار عثمان ڈار کے جھوٹے پراپیگنڈا کا پردہ فاش
افسوس عمر ڈار جو کے ایک اشتہاری ملزم ہے اور مختلف مقدمات میں پولیس کو مطلوب ہے، اس شخص نے گرفتاری سے بچنے کے لیے اپنی والدہ کو گھٹیا طریقہ سے استعمال کیا اور الزام خواجہ محمد آصف صاحب پر لگادیا۔ pic.twitter.com/l0uV2G10L8
Another user noted that Asif had a longstanding history of winning elections for the National Assembly from Sialkot while on the other was a person who has not even won elections for a union council
Some pointed out that Asif did not have as good a track record when it came to women as he claimed. One user Mohsin Iqbal claimed that repeated raids on Dar's home and harassment of the women there showed that it was perhaps taking place on the insistence of a political opponent.
آپکا ماضی سب کے سامنے ہے اور خواتین کے بارے میں استعمال کی گئی زبان بھی سب کو یاد ہے۔ عثمان ڈار کے گھر بار بار ایسا حملہ اور اس کی گھر میں موجود خواتین کے ساتھ ہراسگی والا رویہ ظاہر کرتا ہے کہ یہ کسی سیاسی مخالف کی ایما پر ہی ہو رہا ہے۔
— Mohsin Iqbal (@mohsiniqbal123) December 19, 2023
اُنکےگھر کی پچھلی ویڈیوز بھی ابھی موجود ہیں
PTI's Saffina Ellahi accused Asif of being a 'monster'
Inhuman thoughts make him a human monster. It must be scary for Khawaja Asif; an elderly Sialkot female perspective candidate opposes him. #AppealToChiefJustice - suo moto please. pic.twitter.com/QET6TdoduH
— Saffina Ellahi (@SaffinaEllahi1) December 19, 2023