A Maverick I Know (iii)

Since Makhdoom sahab had moved into Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI), people from both sides of the aisle have contacted me to either express their pleasure or hatred of the decision. Some people, especially the younger lot, is quite confident that he has made the right choice at the right time. Some older hands severely reprimanded this choice. Both sides have a valid reason to support their argument. Both sides are very charged up to show their love or displeasure. But both sides love this man. The reason they are all expressing their opinions about him is because they care about him, no matter which party he joins. 

There were several times when Makhdoom sahab mentioned to me that he had been sidelined by the party for good. The party leadership does not give him his rightful place in the ranks. He could have easily retired from the politics and nobody would really care about it in the party leadership. But the only reason, he is still given importance in the meetings and a seat right next to the top leadership is because the party workers demand that for him.

I have been contacted by people not only from Kot Addu and Multan but also from abroad. Some of his class and prison fellows have also contacted me to express their opinions in this regard. I am truly touched and humbled by this huge following. 

I know Hashmi sahab has spent almost all of his adult life in politics which spans over 40 years. He started his politics back in the University of Punjab as a student leader. And he has seen all kinds of ups and downs in his career. And he has been in the news on and off for all these years. When I was getting married, he was in Kot Lakhpat prison in Lahore. I had arrived from the U.S. just a couple of days before my wedding. He called me the next day and told me that he is really happy for me and really wanted to be part of the wedding. But, he continued, he would not be able to attend the function because he does not want to request the dictator for attending the wedding ceremony. That is why he won’t be joining us but his prayers will be with us all the way. I know certainly that I would have been much happier if my father-in-law would have been attending the ceremony but I also did not want him to bow down and lay down his principles for this. So I said that I totally understand what he was saying and I am with him on this. 

The following day, as we approached Multan with barat, we were informed that Hashmi sahab had been released on parole and will be arriving at Multan airport for this function. The rest is history that many of the journalists, media persons and politicians from all kinds of backgrounds joined us to show their solidarity with Hashmi sahab for standing his ground in respite of all kinds of hardships.  

The history will be a better judge of the decision that he took of joining the PTI. When he asked my opinion, I told him that I was sure that he would have thought on all angles before coming up to this decision. Both way, I understood and I am with him on this all the way.