Daily Times

Why did the chairman of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI), Imran Khan hide his marriage for the second time?

If journalist Umar Cheema was wrong about Imran’s marriage, then why didn’t PTI launch a spatter and barrage of bicker against him? Imran has always emphasised moral and social values.

There is nothing wrong in marrying. Imran has himself asked his opponents if getting married again is a crime? It certainly isn’t a crime. But such unpredictability and impulsiveness in his actions give a bad impression about his priorities.

During his dharna in 2014, Imran said building Naya Pakistan was a prerequisite for his second marriage. His vision for Naya Pakistan was never materialised, his dream of getting married was.

Niccolo Machiavelli was perhaps the first philosopher who legitimised the use of lies and deception in politics and war

Imran Khan is notorious for mudslinging against other politicians and is always busy in calling them liars. However, his marriage episode has exposed his own lies.

What are the moral and religious obligations and bindings of a marriage? Under the Islamic law, it is a religious obligation to make marriage public.

It is ironic that Imran has repeated the same episode when he denied his previous marriage with Reham Khan. It is a fact that Umar Cheema — the journalist who first broke the news of Imran’s marriage with Bushra Wattoo — must be awarded with some medal for investigative journalism. It clearly exhibits that Cheema was right about Imran’s marriage.

Imran Khan has to realise that human beings are fallible and he is no exception. But his self-righteous attitude does not match the reality. Niccolo Machiavelli was perhaps the first philosopher who legitimised the use of lies and deception in politics and war. He also gave several new dimensions to morality and ethics. Perhaps, it would not be wrong to argue that the pursuit of power and prestige not just in politics but almost in any field make human beings to resort to desperate measures.

This article does not aim to malign Imran Khan since he claims that marriage is a private matter of his life. If married life and wife are two entirely separate entities — then in what capacity did Imran’s previous wife Reham Khan used to run the affairs of PTI and how she allegedly used Khyber Puktunkhwa’s Government helicopter? Since PML-N’s State Minister Abid Sher Ali pointed out that Reham Khan was using KP Government helicopter as a ‘rickshaw’. Nevertheless, Imran Khan has to realise and acknowledge that almost every aspect of a leader’s life or in his very own words him being Pakistan’s future Prime Minister — just cannot be divided into what is private and what is public? It is prayed here that Imran’s new matrimonial journey may pan out unlike the previous two; nevertheless, while scrutinising Imran’s marital history — it is rather unlikely to happen.

It is an open secret that the people of Pakistan expect high moral and ethical standards especially from Imran Khan. There is no doubt that before the General Elections of 2013 — Imran’s political career was much different than today’s — since he maintained a different rhetoric and policy objectives. His obsession with Pakistan Muslim League-N is causing more damage than benefits. Imran Khan has considerable public support; nonetheless, the recent NA-154 Lodhran by-election tells a different story. PTI must contemplate that what actually is causing a surge in PML-N’s support.

One question remains relevant; why Imran chose to marry Ms Bushra at such a crucial time — since it’s the election year? The 2018 General Elections are less than six months away and the caretaker setup is about to be decided. The timing of the marriage lends credence to theories which speculate that Imran intends to become Prime Minister by using the spiritual and religious capacity of his new bride to his benefit. Now, the question is how will Ms Bushra become the First Lady if Imran does not devote full attention to his political career? It can be asserted that perhaps Imran’s recent lack of concentration did cost him NA-154.

The writer can be reached at: mmab11@gmail.com

Published in Daily Times, March 3^rd 2018.