KARACHI: Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb unleashed a barrage of criticism on PTI Chairman Imran Khan on Sunday and accused him of having no regard for law or morality and looking for crutches to get back to power once again.

Reacting to Mr Khan’s video message in which he said the army chief and the establishment were unwilling to talk to him, the minister wondered whether the military installations and martyrs’ memorials were attacked on May 9 because “they” — apparently the military — were not on the same page with Mr Khan.

“There is no room for the Constitution, law, humanity or ethics in his mind. Only arrogance, ego, stubbornness and hypocrisy,” she alleged in a tweet.

Ms Aurangzeb then pointed out several incidents to imply that Mr Khan’s political journey was paved with contradictions. Mr Khan, she said, was someone who “offers lifetime extension [to a former army chief] behind closed doors but chants slogans of Mir Jafar outside, blames the United States in rallies, then apologises and hires lobbying companies in the US”.

Only a politician and a democratic person talked to politicians, Ms Aurangzeb said, accusing Mr Khan of still looking for a “shoulder” and “crutches” for coming back to power, but those means, she said, were no longer available.

She said Mr Khan was seeking an NRO — a clean chit, in reference to the National Reconciliation Ordi­nance — in several cases, including the Tyrian White case, the 190-million-pound case, and other corruption cases like Al-Qadir Trust.

Published in Dawn, June 12th, 2023