News Analysis |
Marvi Memon, the Chairperson of Benazir Income Support Programme burst out against her own party, Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz, in a series of tweets on Sunday, just 50 days before the next general elections, visibly hinting that she might jump off PML-N’s ship in days to come.
In her blunt tweet, the BISP chief decried the democratic nature of political parties, citing that those who dare to hold difference of opinion with the party are either to get out or sidelined.
Memon, who joined PML-N in March 2012, continued that the difference of opinion should be welcomed, considering wisdom in it, decrying that the political parties demand ‘jeehazoori’ (unconditional loyalty). The once firebrand spokesperson of party – who stirred media by her dance on top of a land cruiser during Nawaz’s post-disqualification rally – advocated that those who dent the party are praised while the diligent workers are sidelined, without mentioning anyone.
In a television appearance renowned television anchor Hamid Mir and AamirMateen warned former Finance Minister Ishaq Dar to be cautious of a ‘Memon’, who in their opinion ‘could be a male or a female’, without mentioning any name.
The 45-year-old politician mentioned one of her former fellows Jam Kamal Khan and deplored that PML-N lost such competent individual. Marvi, a former investment banker, highlighted that it was the time for introspection for the party to see who was actually damaging the party. The flurry, of furious tweets, comes days after Marvi fired tweets on March 23, in which she taunted her leadership for deflecting the blame on someone else than the accused, without mentioning anyone.
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Always in a crime there r abettors n those who provoke a crime. Their hisaab wil come first. They need exposing first.
— Marvi Memon (@marvi_memon) March 24, 2018
Pmln lost on competent @jam_kamal n others.Introspection time4us at Pmln.Respect n shabaashee at deliverance is https://t.co/3wI7YOT8cG we need to keep the competent ones in n the chaploos+who cost party shame out and not the other way around if we r to save r party https://t.co/4Qi403YmQ1
— Marvi Memon (@marvi_memon) April 15, 2018
In the concluding tweet on the said topic – which remains a mystery to this day – the BISP chief expressed that one joins politics for respect and not for insults adding that ‘nobody appreciates being taken for a ride’. It was widely believed that she was expressing sympathy for finance minister, Ishaq Dar, with whom she had been close off lately.
Although Marvi Memon has heaped scorn at her party in blatant terms, even then the purpose behind her outbursts remains unclear. Marvi remained loyal with Pakistan Muslim League Quaid-e-Azam and more specifically former president Pervez Musharraf as she served as Member of Parliament for the first time from March 2008 to June 2011.
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After sharing stage with Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf and lavishing praise on Imran Khan, she took another political somersault and joined PML-N in March 2012. Though she failed to win NA-237 Thatta seat against PPP candidate, however, she was elected to National Assembly on reserved seat for woman, by PMLN, after party’s landslide victory in 2013 general elections.
In her blunt tweet, the BISP chief decried the democratic nature of political parties, citing that those who dare to hold difference of opinion with the party are either to get out or sidelined.
She was appointed as Chairperson Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) in 2015 and is serving in this capacity to this day. Marvi, who is member, World Bank Advisory Council on Gender & Development, seems to be switching loyalty; however, she has not fully distanced herself from party leadership.
During the recent visit of Pakistan’s Nobel Laureate Malala Yousafzai, she was seen in the PM House and also posed for a picture when the premier handed the youngest Nobel laureate a souvenir. Marvi was also sitting in the audience, on April 5th, when Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi was announcing the Tax Amnesty Scheme; however, reportedly, she at that time did not meet Maryam Nawaz, the daughter of former premier Nawaz Sharif and now the de-facto leader of the party.
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Marvi’s noticeable appearance was in the G.T road rally following the disqualification of Nawaz Sharif in the Panama Papers case, in August when she electrified the crowd while dancing jubilantly on the roof of an SUV. Since then, she has been avoiding party advocacy on mainstream media, though she has been a strong voice for any party, she preferred to join.
The only mode of communication between Marvi and masses is Twitter, where the politician seems to be publicly taking a different line than the party’s narrative – which is visibly against judiciary and armed forces. Though political observers might perceive her recent stance to be a signal of her defection, social media reports imply a different story revolving around her personal life.
Marvi remained loyal with Pakistan Muslim League Quaid-e-Azam and more specifically former president Pervez Musharraf as she served as Member of Parliament for the first time from March 2008 to June 2011.
According to unconfirmed reports, the lawmaker got intimately involved with a former minister – who happens to be a relative of Sharif family – however, the relationship is becoming uneasy.
In a television appearance renowned television anchor Hamid Mir and Aamir Mateen warned former Finance Minister Ishaq Dar to be cautious of a ‘Memon’, who in their opinion ‘could be a male or a female’, without mentioning any name.
In recent days, scores of PML-N lawmakers have ditched the party, including the eight legislators led by Khusru Bakhtiar, who are now united to pursue the cause of South Punjab, but would Marvi take the same line and announce the defection in the pretext of Sindh, or injustice in the party, has yet to seen.