In a blistering exchange that drew widespread attention, Miftah Ismail, a prominent figure from the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), delivered a sharp rebuke to Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Hammad Azhar, questioning his political integrity and intellectual honesty.
Miftah Ismail criticized Hammad Azhar for lacking the moral courage to admit past political missteps and injustices perpetrated by his party, particularly against PML-N leaders like Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and himself. “Hammad Bhai, I expected better from you. You know neither I nor Shahid Khaqan Abbasi was guilty of any financial corruption... Yet your leader and party chose to persecute us, and all of you stood silently,” Ismail stated in a tweet on X, formerly Twitter, emphasizing the need for introspection and self-criticism within PTI.
Ismail accused the PTI of exacerbating their current challenges by aligning too closely with the establishment and limiting the political space for other actors. He highlighted the misuse of power in cases like the ToshaKhana asset misdeclaration, suggesting that PTI's actions were tainted by corruption. PTI denies these allegations.
The exchange began with Hammad Azhar’s quote tweet on an earlier Miftah tweet.
Azhar had lamented the plight of individuals allegedly falsely accused of the May 9 riots and facing trials, to which Miftah responded by pointing out the silence of PTI leaders when he and Abbasi were exonerated from corruption charges.
Azhar's attempt to score political points, while sidestepping the real issues and indulging in intellectual dishonesty, was met with a comprehensive and stern response from Miftah Ismail. In his response, Ismail also addressed broader political issues, urging the PTI to recognize the undemocratic nature of its past protests and to refrain from seeking shortcuts to power. He called for political engagement that respects the legitimacy of opponents and advocated for peaceful protests without the entitlements PTI previously enjoyed.