In what can be best described as a very condemnable and regrettable act Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Chief Imran Khan threatened Seelo community landowners who hold land around the Namal University to sell their land to the university or faced seizure of their properties. The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Chairman apparently wishes to build a stadium for the Namal University in Mianwali on the land adjacent to the campus. “I politely ask them to either sell their lands or donate it for the construction of the Namal College Stadium. If they will keep on resisting, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf will take over these lands under Section 4 after coming into power. If they sell their lands right now, they will get some money. However, if they refuse, they will not only lose their lands but will also get nothing under Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf rule,” warned Imran Khan. Such threats coming from a politician whose party’s name translates to ‘movement for justice’ is bizarre to say the least. As someone who aspires to be the Prime Minister of Pakistan Imran Khan needs to rethink his strategy. Threatening people with seizure of their land reeks of arrogance and will harm Imran’s reputation of standing up for the rights of the people.
One can only hope that the remarks were misinterpreted or expressed in the heat of the moment and the Pakistan Treheek-e-Insaf Chairman doesn’t necessarily believe in seizing land and threatening people into selling their land. We hope that by now the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Chief has realized that his remarks were in poor taste and doesn’t suit a leader of his stature. For perspective, one can only imagine what Imran’s response would have been had someone from the ruling party made such threats against him.
Threats of seizing land coming from a leader whose party’s name translates to ‘movement for justice’ are regrettable.
