Wasim Akram plus is minus now
CONDEMNING the violent incidents of the 9 May when civil and military installations were vandalized by enraged protestors, the former Chief Minister of Punjab, Usman Buzdar, asserted that he always stood with the Pakistan Army and will keep on doing so. On Friday, he became the latest PTI leader to quit politics. Addressing a press conference in Lahore, Buzdar, who did not specify if he was also leaving the party, said, “Keeping in view the situation in the country — we have always done the politics of virtue and encourage it. But in the present political situation, I have decided to quit politics.”
Buzdar was a politician constrained by his total inexperience in the affairs of the state, and left behind a mixed legacy as did many of his predecessors. Commenting on the ongoing political crisis in the country, Buzdar said, “I want to request all the stakeholders to set aside their ego, think beyond their parties and work for a better future of Pakistan.” Buzdar also extend his best wishes to everyone. Referring to the countrywide arrests made against those allegedly involved in 9 May incidents, Buzdar said that relief should be provided to all the “innocent citizens” who were in jails and called for their immediate release.
His critics and the media mostly painted Buzdar — who had ‘survived’ many speculations, mostly originating from within his own party, of his early departure from the chief minister’s office — as an “inept and ineffective” administrator. The ex-PTI leader was elected as Punjab’s chief minister in August 2018 but resigned from his position in March 2022 after a delegation of senior lawmakers had submitted a no-trust motion against him in the Punjab Assembly the same day.
Imran Khan throughout his term as Prime Minister defended Buzdar’s nomination and politics as Punjab Chief Minister and urged lawmakers to stand behind him. Imran Khan knew that Buzdar and his father were named in a sextuple murder case. Dismissing objections over Sardar Usman Buzdar’s nomination as new chief minister of Punjab, Imran Khan insisted upon his party’s lawmakers to implicitly trust his “Wasim Akram plus” . “Trust my judgment on Sardar Usman Buzdar’s nomination as Punjab chief minister. He will put into practice the vision of New Pakistan,” Imran Khan said in 2018.
Imran Khan declared that Buzdar’s nomination was in the best interest of Punjab. Budzar’s nomination as Punjab CM was the glimpse of political vision of Imran Khan. Urging all to work in a unified manner and serve the people, Imran Khan then said that it was vital for Punjab’s prosperity. “We will change the destiny of the province. We will not disappoint the people of Punjab. We will usher in an era of prosperity and development,” Imran Khan then urged.
Highlighting Buzdar’s background, Imran then said that the nominee came from one of the most underdeveloped areas of Punjab – the tribal area of Dera Ghazi Khan Division. “This would be the first time that Punjab would have a chief minister from such a neglected area”, Imran argued. “This is an area without electricity, water or a qualified doctor for over 200,000 people. As chief minister, Buzdar understands problems of the people of neglected areas and will be able to ensure their uplift,” Imran continued arguing his decision.
Imran Khan stood by his nominee Usman Buzdar for CM Punjab. I have done my due diligence over the past two weeks and have found him to be an honest man. He has integrity and stands by my vision and ideology of Naya Pakistan.” The then Punjab Governor Chaudhry Muhammad Sarwar said that party members accepted Imran’s decision and stood firm with Buzdar. Chaudhry Sarwar said the country was facing major problems which no individual could solve on their own. Everyone, he said, had to pitch in to solve key national problems.
Former Governor Sarwar then argued that joint efforts by all team players would bring a positive change in the province and enable the party to fulfill all of its promises. Later, Abdul Aleem Khan refuted allegations leveled against Buzdar in the media. It has been alleged that the PTI-nominated chief minister was implicated in a murder besides being pursued by NAB.
“These are just allegations based on rumours and nothing else. They are circulating in the media but no one is backing these allegations with irrefutable proofs. Buzdar has already issued a statement in which he categorically denied all allegations,” Imran Khan defended. There was no court case pending against Buzdar, Imran insisted. When asked if such an inexperienced individual be able to run a province, Imran said that people had voted for PTI and Imran Khan. Imran on the directions of his wife Bushra Bibi had personally selected Usman Buzdar and the party extended full confidence in his judgment. Buzdar had the party’s full support.
Buzdar, who remained affiliated with the PML-Q and PML-N in the past, had joined the PTI just days before the July 25 general election. His family heads the Buzdar tribe and his father elected as lawmaker more than once in the past. Buzdar and his father were found guilty in a sextuple murder case during the previous elections and that they had paid Rs7.5 million as blood money (Diat) to settle the feud. Post 9 May Wasim Akram plus is minus now.
—The writer is editor, book ambassador political analyst and author of several books based in Islamabad.
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