MNA Ayesha Gulalai quit PTI on Tuesday, leveling serious allegations against party chief Imran Khan. She spoke about inappropriate texting on part of the PTI chief and said the party was anti-women. As is customary in our society, character assassinating vitriol – that activists and supporters of almost all mainstream political parties have upheld as their trademark since perhaps forever – was unleashed. A smear campaign laced with a stream of invective was directed at Gulalai, who was seen as a liar.
To be fair, an investigation must be launched into the allegations. Gulalai is being asked to provide proof since she has come out in the public about a man who has long been aspiring to hold the highest public office of the country. She has no obligation to provide proof to anyone except before the court or any other investigative forum. Nevertheless, she has challenged Imran Khan to make public their Blackberry messages.
It is, however, interesting to note that as always, a man who has not even bothered to address the allegations leveled against him is considered innocent by default. Imagine a woman with the same credentials as Imran Khan – a flirtatious sportswoman with a child born out of wedlock. Our society would barely need any allegations for a woman after such credentials. Let alone being a public figure, she’d be admonished by her own family (that is, if she is spared from being killed in the name of ‘honour’).
On the other hand, there is a woman who has chosen to speak out about serious violation of her dignity. She is a woman who fulfils all the criteria that society demands of her. This woman covers her head and even invokes self-injurious, misplaced concepts of honour, tradition and religion, all with the hope that she is trusted for once.
