ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan on Thursday regretted the loss of “moral authority” which he said was evident in recent Senate elections.
In a series of tweets, the prime minister observed that states lacking a rule of law “resort to deal-making […] with the powerful criminals.”
And without justice & rule of law states disintegrate because once moral authority is lost by the state, deal making (NRO) with the powerful criminals is resorted to. The recent Senate elections showed how we are losing our moral compass. pic.twitter.com/GwiY4I6Fv6
— Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) March 11, 2021
“Throughout history moral decay & corruption have destroyed states because without moral authority states cannot deliver justice,” he said.
Attached with the tweets were quotes from former US army chief Gen Douglas MacArthur, British statesman Edmund Burke, and judge Patrick Devlin explaining the relationship between government and morality.
Imran said that Holy Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him) said that “many nations before you were destroyed when there was one law for the powerful and another for the weak”.
Our Prophet PBUH said “many nations before you were destroyed when there was one law for the powerful and another for the weak.” Throughout history moral decay & corruption have destroyed states because without moral authority states cannot deliver justice. pic.twitter.com/Dy8dwLhskG
— Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) March 11, 2021
His comments come a day before the election for the Senate chairman and deputy chairman seats. The government has nominated incumbent Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani for a second term, while former PM Yousaf Raza Gillani is contesting from the Opposition for the chairman’s post.
Separately, Prime Minister Imran on Thursday warned the opposition parties that he is not among those who “would leave the battleground” as the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) amasses support for its intended long march later this month.
He said this while chairing a meeting of the PTI’s core committee where senior ministers and party leaders discussed the Senate elections and the upcoming anti-government long march.
“The objective of PDM’s long march is not to provide any relief to the masses but to seek an NRO,” said the Premier. “Neither did I ever respond to pressure before nor will I respond to it now,” he vowed.
The PM stressed that the PTI was elected to power to “change the system” hence compromising with those who had looted the country is out of the question. “We have to keep all options in mind, including the possibility of fresh elections,” said the prime minister. “We have the support of the masses, hence will not back down on any forum.”
Speaking about his government’s efforts to stabilise the economy, the premier said that he has, through tremendous difficulty and hard work, steered the country out of the economic crisis that it was facing.
Sources revealed that the prime minister reviewed the performances of the federal and provincial governments during the party’s core committee meeting. Saifullah Niazi and Amir Kiyani briefed the Premier on the PTI’s organisational matters
A week earlier, Gillani, the joint candidate of the 11-party PDM, defeated Finance Minister Abdul Hafeez Sheikh in a major setback to the government. Gillani received 169 votes to Sheikh’s 164.
The former prime minister’s success suggested some Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) MPs revolted and did not vote for Sheikh for the key seat reserved for Islamabad.
In a televised address to the nation, Imran claimed some MPs from his party had been bribed by the opposition to vote for Gillani.
Two days after the contentious election, he announced electoral reforms after winning a crucial confidence vote in the National Assembly. In a charged speech following the trust motion on Saturday, the premier said his government was “doing things” to bring about substantial improvements in the country’s electoral system.
Recent statements by Imran Khan and now these tweets show that he has lost his mental balance and is furious. In fact, Imran Khan, who gained power with the help of the army, has been shown his status by the public in the recent elections. The army was always on Imran Khan and that is why he was able to become the Prime Minister. However, Imran Khan’s defeat in these elections demonstrates that the public is dissatisfied with his leadership. In these elections, it was also shown that, despite the army’s support, where Imran lost, public sentiment is also anti-army.