ISLAMABAD
Constitutional expert and senior Supreme Court lawyer, Abid Hasan Minto, strongly rejecting the concept of change and slogan of Azadi (independence) by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan has questioned how he could do this by standing with the biggest operatives of the existing system.
"When the feudal lords and operatives of the existing system like Shah Mahmood Qureshi and Jahangir Tareen stand by your right and left, how can you bring change," Minto questioned in his informal talk with a select group of journalists and some of his party workers here on Wednesday.
Minto explained that the operatives of the existing system would never want change in the country, as they are symbols of status quo and would make their way in the present system.
Minto said that apparently it looks that Khan is struggling all this for the lust of power and it is clear evident from his slogans like "Mian sahib your turn is over now. And when it looks that sit-in has started receding, the PTI chairman has started talking about farmers and labourers."
He again questioned how Imran would bring change when its party vice-chairman Shah Mahmood Qureshi had gone against his petition in the Supreme Court demanding land reforms in the country. "Qureshi, the principal spokesman of PTI on talks with the government is against our land reforms case in the apex court," he said adding that this 'Azadi party' could not be even established without symbols of status quo like Tareen and Qureshi.
He said that Imran never said to abolish feudalism and give lands of Qureshi and Traeen to the peasants. "He knows what 'change' he wants but people have not been told about the change," he said in a humorous way. He said Imran should clarify whether it wants to snatch wealth of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif or wants division of this wealth among the masses. "Irrespective of the fact that this struggle is sponsored or not but its characters are operating in the existing system and want to make way in the present system," he said again.
The veteran lawyer said that PTI talking about bringing electoral reforms in the country was not serious to bring genuine reforms and rather focussing on technical aspects of the reforms. "Why does PTI not talk about the involvement of big money in our elections that should be ended," he said.
"Even if one does not know from where these sit-ins are being operated and from where they get money, but it is a fact that a single trade union of working class did not join them on GT Road that is full of industries," he reminded.
Minto accepted that protestors in the sit-in of Dr Tahirul Qadri belonged to lower middle class but they were under the influence of peer (faith healer) and so does not know the true meanings of revolution.
Elaborating the history, he said that the word of Iquilab (revolution) was first used by military dictators General Ayub Khan and General Ziaul Haq, but status quo persisted and army was imposed on them. "So it is very important to understand who are using the word Iquilab (revolution)," he said. He said that word revolution is not for a day or for a week but it is a peasant character and these people are backbone of the society.