Responding very strongly to what former secretary general of Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf (PTI) Asad Umer said in a television interview a couple of days ago, the party spokesman, Rauf Hassan, has said the following: “It looks like a horrible sham: defending the indefensible. If Asad disagreed with the party/chairman narrative, he should have shown the character to resign then rather than now when the party is under an orchestrated attack.

Such are the people who reap shame, not applause. Pity!” Moreover, Asad Umer, a former corporate leader, has attracted more uncharitable remarks or criticism from a very large following of PTI chairman Imran Khan. Ironically, they have conveniently ignored the fact that it is Asad who has described Imran Khan as “Imran is PTI and PTI is Imran Khan”.

My question is whether or not Asad Umer deserves this kind of reaction at all as it appears to be highly disproportionate or overly harsh, to say the least.

In my view, the party’s reaction clearly shows one thing: its leadership is still learning the ropes in politics.

Little does the party, which is in absolute disarray since May 9, realize the profundity of the fact that like many other top PTI leaders Asad decided against quitting the party as he only resigned from his position of party’s secretary general. He has announced that he would either pursue politics through PTI or quit politics for ever.

In other words, he wouldn’t join any other party in the event of his exit from the party. In politics, you don’t lose your friends and alienate allies. PTI may consider treating Asad an ally, if not a friend.

Rehana Uzair, (Karachi)

Copyright Business Recorder, 2023