Khawaja Muhammad Asif – He is one of the most seasoned politicians of Pmln and Pakistan. Khawaja sb hosted the team with traditional desi breakfast and took us through the spectrum of his political journey.
What was your early life and education like?
My father was a seasoned politician who won his first election in 1951. Later he was leader of the opposition in the West Pakistan assembly in the 1960s and leader of the opposition in the Senate in the 1980s. I did my matriculation from Hassan Abdal and subsequently did my BA from Government College, Lahore and LL.B. from Punjab University. Mian Nawaz Sharif was my class fellow at university, and have been friends with him for over 56 years now.
How would you describe your relationship with Mian Sahab at that time?
We were definitely friends back then, although I had a more frank friendship with Mian Shehbaz Sharif.
What prompted you to join politics despite being a successful banker?
I was associated with the banking sector since 1971, and my last job was with a bank in Abu Dhabi in 1991. Back then Mian Sahab was visiting Sheikh Zayed where he met my father. He insisted that I must return to Pakistan to join the party and take an active role in politics. As such, I returned in December 1991, and in March 1992 I was elected as a senator from Pakistan Muslim League.
Since your father was in politics since the time of independence, were you yourself involved in any way before deciding to assume a fulltime role?
I wasn’t involved much but I used to come to Pakistan to look after my father’s campaigns during election season, that kept me connected to the political scene in Pakistan. As mentioned earlier, my first foray into politics was in 1992.
That government was dissolved by the then President, Ghulam Ishaq Khan using his powers under article 58(2(b). Why was that?
Th article was the exact reason why the government was unconstitutionally disbanded. Mian Sahab introduced a bill in parliament to remove the unconstitutional and unbridled powers given to the president through Article 58(2)(b) through which he could dissolve the government arbitrarily. The president didnt like this and decided to dismiss the government on made up charges. The assemblies were dissolved, nonetheless we carried on protests and put pressure on the senate.
This action obviously necessitated new election. You decided to run as a member of the national assembly this time?
At that time the person who was the sitting MNA from our area was the person who was brought in by us when my father resigned. This gentleman decided to switch parties tell you the scale of welcome that I received. There were students lined up along with teachers and the love and affection I got from them is indescribable. It was heartwarming to say the least.
You made great sacrifices in those dark times, how did the regime try to victimize you?
I remember that after the coup we all got together and resolved to resist them. We tried to rally support from all quarters and were in the middle of a human rights committee meeting when the regime picked us up. The regime put me along with 30 other men and women in Model Town jail, and then sent us to Kot Lakhpat jail. Due to some reason the regime subsequently declared our homes sub-jails and put us under house arrest. In all those years we never gave up and stood firmly with the party every step of the way.
Coming back to your political life, after your long and tiring service at the grassroots level, when did you enter mainstream representative politics?
We as a family always thought that it would be best to have only one person from the family in politics. However, the first opportunity came when before the 2013 elections, Maryam bibi asked me to represent the party on a reserved seat. Initially I was reluctant but then Mian Nawaz Sharif sb also expressed his desire and the rest, as they say, is history!
Politics is a difficult field and balancing family and work must be difficult. How do you strike a balance?
I strongly believe that Allah has given women multi-tasking abilities. I have never complained about the grueling routine as often I have to go out into the field with my husband to meet people or resolve their problems. To serve people is a gift from Allah, one we must cherish.
Speaking of Mr. Pervaiz Malik, what has his role been vis-à-vis your political activities?
He has been very understanding and encouraging throughout this time. He’s currently in his fifth term as a member of parliament whereas I am a 2nd time parliamentarian. I get to learn a lot from him and for us, the welfare of our constituencies is supreme. Even if there are 5 different invites in a day from our constituencies, Pervaiz sb makes sure that we attend them all.
There are three members of parliament in your household; do you discuss politics a lot?
Believe me, we don’t discuss politics at all.
Being on the treasury benches must be very different from being in opposition. How are you coping with this change?
Definitely, being in opposition is a whole different ball-game. It is a very challenging yet an illuminating learning process. One of the things that you learn in opposition is that you have to carry out a more in depth analysis of any bills being presented by the government in order to hold them accountable and to challenge them. I consult with lawyers to ensure that the bills being presented by the government are legally sound and are not anti-people.
Being in opposition, how difficult do you find being a member of parliament?
The government is not giving us any funds at all for us to be able to work on many initiatives. In a personal capacity, I am trying my best to ensure that women are given skill-sets to be able to earn for themselves.
here’s much talk about capital punishment by Imran Khan for rapists in the aftermath of the horrific incident on motorway. Considering there has been a blowout of such incidents across the country recently, what’s your view on it?
Ironically, we already have laws on the books as an anti-rape amendment was passed during the PMLN tenure. I am extremely proud of the fact that my daughter in law Sahar, an accomplished lawyer in her own right, helped me in drafting the Criminal Law (Amendment) (Offences Relating to Rape) Act 2016. It would appear that Imran Khan doesn’t read the laws and nobody around him tells him about them either. The attempt to reinvent the wheel smacks of political opportunism, nothing else.
Isn’t the issue with the Zainab Alert bill the same?
Yes, absolutely. Zainab Alert bill provides a one window solution whereby the victim’s identity is shielded, the victim is entitled to get copies of all recordings, and she may not be asked to appear in the public. All safety protocols are provided in the bill, however, the government is dragging its feet and still hasn’t appointed even a Director General which is mandated by law. The saddest part of this whole exercise is the non-serious attitude of this government despite the plethora of new such cases coming out every day.
Speaking of children, do you think it’s wise to open schools right now considering that COVID-19 is still very much around and many cases are being reported even today?
I believe it is not advisable at all to open schools right now, especially when the government has no mechanism of ensuring compliance with SOP requirements.
There’s much talk of the overbearing role NAB is playing during the current government. Do you think NAB has gone beyond transparent accountability?
NAB’s only job during this government is political victimization. NAB carries out one-sided proceedings and as we can see that the entire top leadership of PMLN is being victimized. This is extremely bad for democracy and for the country.
What do you think about the quota system in our parliamentary setup?
I am a big proponent of the Women’s Parliamentary Caucus. Our aim is to increase female representation in parliament as women are ready and willing to step up into frontline roles. I think women are ready now for contesting on direct seats.
When not working in the constituencies, how do you pass your time?
I am very fond of reading books, poetry and listening to old songs. The genre depends on what mood I am in.
What advice would you give to the women?
I would urge them to be brimming with self-belief, self-confidence, and they must have goals in place. They should know what they want and then work towards achieving that goal. I would strongly advise those women already in power to hold hands of other women and empower them. They must become the voice of the voiceless.
and nobody else was willing to run against him. Mian Sahab requested that I run from this seat as it was my area and Alhamdulillah we won with a comfortable majority.
You’ve been with this constituency ever since?
I have won 6 elections so far from my constituency.
Can you tell us how supportive your wife has been in your political journey?
I firmly believe that I couldn’t have completed this journey if she had not held the fort at home by raising our 3 three children. Especially since we returned from Abu Dhabi where I was making a handsome salary and was an established banker. She has been a huge support and has never complained.
You’ve sat with Imran Khan on opposition benches. How was that experience?
Imran Khan I think was struggling with stage fright as he was reluctant to speak up in his allotted time as he didnt know what to say! I used to help him out sometimes. Overall he has been a mediocre politician.
What was the background on your disqualification and subsequent reinstatement by the Supreme Court?
Usman Dar filed a case of concealment of Iqama and salary against me even though I had declared it while I was filing my nomination forms. The Islamabad High Court disqualified me but Alhamdulillah the Supreme Court declared that I could stand for elections again.
What was the whole business with trying to convict you under article 6 for treason? That is a very dangerous allegation they lobbed at you.
This was a scheme cooked up by Shafqat Mehmood because obviously Imran Khan is not smart enough to come up with this allegation himself. They alleged that in my position as Defense Minister and Foreign Minister I was dealing in state secrets. There was intense pressure on Bashir Memon, the DG FIA, to implicate me but he chose to sideline himself. This was closely linked to the disqualification attempt against me.
Were you perturbed by this allegation?
Not at all, because I knew there was no truth to these allegations and it was just vindictive politics at play. Ironically, a frivolous treason case was also filed against my father during Ayub Khan’s dictatorship when he was part of the agitation against the Tashkent Declaration.
Were you involved in these things back then?
Interestingly, when Maadar e Millat was running for president against Ayub Khan, I had a criminal case for violence filed against me. When I went to court the judge brushed off the case saying this child doesn’t look like he can commit violence. In fact what happened was that I had taken random pictures of Ayub Khan and he didn’t like it. In those days, movements were mostly led by students. Sadly that’s not the case anymore.
Has NAB been harassing you as well?
NAB has been calling me in for the past 2 years on trumped up charges but I have been cooperating with them whenever they call me so that they dont say later that I was noncooperative. They have called my wife, son, and even business associates. So much so that they even called in the person we bought the house from in 1988 to make something stick but they have been unsuccessful.
Should NAB be abolished?
I have been advocating for NAB’s abolishment for several years. NAB today has become the supreme weapon of political victimization in the hands of Imran Khan and we are to blame for it because we didn’t get rid of it when we had the chance. Even in the recent APC Mian Sahab admitted as much that we should have abolished it when we were in power. The genesis for NAB was laid down in Ehtesaab Commission in our second government in the late 90s. Even Musharraf used it only sparingly in the initial years and later it was forgotten. Later PPP and our government didn’t use NAB as a political victimization tool, however, the current government has used this agency as their personal victimization apparatus.
How is the party withstanding pressure in the fact of extreme political victimization these days?
We have developed a political culture in the party over time. I believe that if similar pressure had been there in the 1990s, more than 75% of people in the party would have left. The fact that they haven’t is a testament to Mian Sahab’s struggle over the past 30 years into making PMLN into a mature political party. Mian Sahab has become a symbol of resistance against undemocratic forces encroaching on political territory over the past decades, has faced severe hardship, and paid a high price- whether it is as a family man or in politics.
What went wrong with the democratic process in our country?
This is an ongoing problem for the past 72 odd years, since we came into being. I believe our politicianswerent too serious about democractic principles and this can be gauged from the fact that the first constitution only came.
There’s much talk of the overbearing role NAB is playing during the current government. Do you think NAB has gone beyond transparent accountability?
NAB’s only job during this government is political victimization. NAB carries out one-sided proceedings and as we can see that the entire top leadership of PMLN is being victimized. This is extremely bad for democracy and for the country.
What do you think about the quota system in our parliamentary setup?
I am a big proponent of the Women’s Parliamentary Caucus. Our aim is to increase female representation in parliament as women are ready and willing to step up into frontline roles. I think women are ready now for contesting on direct seats.
When not working in the constituencies, how do you pass your time?
I am very fond of reading books, poetry and listening to old songs. The genre depends on what mood I am in.
What advice would you give to the women?
I would urge them to be brimming with self-belief, self-confidence, and they must have goals in place. They should know what they want and then work towards achieving that goal. I would strongly advise those women already in power to hold hands of other women and empower them. They must become the voice of the voiceless.schooling is from Sacred Heart and then I spent around six years in the hostel. I think it was that period which instilled a sense of discipline and inculcated morals and values in me. Then, I completed Masters from the College of Home Economics.
How did your journey evolve from marriage to politics?
When I got married, I noticed that my in-laws were not really in favor of a political career. They were more inclined towards working as professionals. So I taught at the College of Home Economics for over six months and then opted out of it because I realized that it was the time to really put stress aside and enjoy life. Though it did not last long because I could not help but get myself to working again. I had the honor to accompany Begum Kulsoom during the 1997 election campaign when she started her door-to-door campaign. And then when Pervaiz entered the political scene, I campaigned for him. Let me add here that it was at this point I experienced the plight of our government schools that had been converted into polling stations. It was an eye opening event that shook me inside out So, with all my heart and will, I promised myself that if we win, I will work to the best of my ability to improve the situation of the government schools.
How far were you able to achieve this goal of revamping and improving the education system?
I tried my best. We became a bridge between the department and the schools. It was an uphill task to convince them, but I took the leap of faith anyway. I remember that Mian Shehbaz Sharif had introduced the “Adopt a School Policy” at that time. He took the task of revamping dear to his heart and was taken aback after learning about the deplorable condition of our schools.
You mentioned Mr. Shehbaz Sharif’s initiative, how beneficial was his support towards your goals and consistent work ethic?
Shehbaz sahab has been instrumental in ensuring that the work I did in the education sector bore fruit. I recall giving him a report on the state of government schools, which were below par. As is his style, he swung into action and ensured that I got whatever support I needed to revamp the schools, be it classrooms, hiring qualified teachers, books et cetera. I am proud of the fact that my party takes education seriously and has been fully onboard to fix the education system. Under Shehbaz Sharif’s leadership, I had the honor to serve on the PEF board twice, to work on the “Dengue Community Mobilization” initiative and, especially, I remember that we worked day and night during 2010’s devastating floods under rigid schedules.
How far were your endeavors of public good affected by the 1999 coup?
The Coup was a dark chapter in our history and I was very apprehensive about visiting government schools in its aftermath due to obvious political victimization that was going on in those days. I still recall fondly that all teachers of the four schools invited me to the schools and I can’t tell you the scale of welcome that I received. There were students lined up along with teachers and the love and affection I got from them is indescribable. It was heartwarming to say the least.
You made great sacrifices in those dark times, how did the regime try to victimize you?
I remember that after the coup we all got together and resolved to resist them. We tried to rally support from all quarters and were in the middle of a human rights committee meeting when the regime picked us up. The regime put me along with 30 other men and women in Model Town jail, and then sent us to Kot Lakhpat jail. Due to some reason the regime subsequently declared our homes sub-jails and put us under house arrest. In all those years we never gave up and stood firmly with the party every step of the way.
Coming back to your political life, after your long and tiring service at the grassroots level, when did you enter mainstream representative politics?
We as a family always thought that it would be best to have only one person from the family in politics. However, the first opportunity came when before the 2013 elections, Maryam bibi asked me to represent the party on a reserved seat. Initially I was reluctant but then Mian Nawaz Sharif sb also expressed his desire and the rest, as they say, is history!
Politics is a difficult field and balancing family and work must be difficult. How do you strike a balance?
I strongly believe that Allah has given women multi-tasking abilities. I have never complained about the grueling routine as often I have to go out into the field with my husband to meet people or resolve their problems. To serve people is a gift from Allah, one we must cherish.
Speaking of Mr. Pervaiz Malik, what has his role been vis-à-vis your political activities?
He has been very understanding and encouraging throughout this time. He’s currently in his fifth term as a member of parliament whereas I am a 2nd time parliamentarian. I get to learn a lot from him and for us, the welfare of our constituencies is supreme. Even if there are 5 different invites in a day from our constituencies, Pervaiz sb makes sure that we attend them all.
There are three members of parliament in your household; do you discuss politics a lot?
Believe me, we don’t discuss politics at all.
Being on the treasury benches must be very different from being in opposition. How are you coping with this change?
Definitely, being in opposition is a whole different ball-game. It is a very challenging yet an illuminating learning process. One of the things that you learn in opposition is that you have to carry out a more in depth analysis of any bills being presented by the government in order to hold them accountable and to challenge them. I consult with lawyers to ensure that the bills being presented by the government are legally sound and are not anti-people.
Being in opposition, how difficult do you find being a member of parliament?
The government is not giving us any funds at all for us to be able to work on many initiatives. In a personal capacity, I am trying my best to ensure that women are given skill-sets to be able to earn for themselves.
here’s much talk about capital punishment by Imran Khan for rapists in the aftermath of the horrific incident on motorway. Considering there has been a blowout of such incidents across the country recently, what’s your view on it?
Ironically, we already have laws on the books as an anti-rape amendment was passed during the PMLN tenure. I am extremely proud of the fact that my daughter in law Sahar, an accomplished lawyer in her own right, helped me in drafting the Criminal Law (Amendment) (Offences Relating to Rape) Act 2016. It would appear that Imran Khan doesn’t read the laws and nobody around him tells him about them either. The attempt to reinvent the wheel smacks of political opportunism, nothing else.
Isn’t the issue with the Zainab Alert bill the same?
Yes, absolutely. Zainab Alert bill provides a one window solution whereby the victim’s identity is shielded, the victim is entitled to get copies of all recordings, and she may not be asked to appear in the public. All safety protocols are provided in the bill, however, the government is dragging its feet and still hasn’t appointed even a Director General which is mandated by law. The saddest part of this whole exercise is the non-serious attitude of this government despite the plethora of new such cases coming out every day.
Speaking of children, do you think it’s wise to open schools right now considering that COVID-19 is still very much around and many cases are being reported even today?
I believe it is not advisable at all to open schools right now, especially when the government has no mechanism of ensuring compliance with SOP requirements.
There’s much talk of the overbearing role NAB is playing during the current government. Do you think NAB has gone beyond transparent accountability?
NAB’s only job during this government is political victimization. NAB carries out one-sided proceedings and as we can see that the entire top leadership of PMLN is being victimized. This is extremely bad for democracy and for the country.
What do you think about the quota system in our parliamentary setup?
I am a big proponent of the Women’s Parliamentary Caucus. Our aim is to increase female representation in parliament as women are ready and willing to step up into frontline roles. I think women are ready now for contesting on direct seats.
When not working in the constituencies, how do you pass your time?
I am very fond of reading books, poetry and listening to old songs. The genre depends on what mood I am in.
What advice would you give to the women?
I would urge them to be brimming with self-belief, self-confidence, and they must have goals in place. They should know what they want and then work towards achieving that goal. I would strongly advise those women already in power to hold hands of other women and empower them. They must become the voice of the voiceless.
into being 9 years after partition. The Constitution itself was flawed and distort ed the character of the federation. The ensuing chaos, inexperience and infighting of politicians in those days resulted in the governance totally slipping into the bureaucracy’s hands. Between 1947 and 1958 when Ayub Khan did a coup, politicians ceded ground to the establishment. And we have been struggling with the imbalance ever since…Yes, we have been stuck in territorial fights for the past 72 years. Infact we need a new social contract, which is also being advocated by Mian Sb since atleast 2010. The vision behind this is that we must return to the original constitution of 1973 and every institution should work within the confines of the constitution. We must respect each other’s boundaries. It is essential that we resolve the country’s political faultines in order to progress .
Was corruption a central issue for politicians in those days?
Politicians had many shortcomings in those days, but financial corruption was not an issue. There was no greed for money, but yes politicians did crave power and prominence in those days. Financial corruption really took centre stage after Ayub Khan came into power and he had his son, Gohar Ayub, resign his commission and set up businesses for him, which has resulted in his family becoming one of the richest in Pakistan.
What is your view on the 18th amendment?
The 18th Amendment envisioned provincial autonomy, however it is not working as intended because it is limited to only the provincial capitals, whether it is Lahore or Karachi or Peshawar. It has systemic flaws which enables the bureaucracy to have a stranglehold on the system through politicians. The Local Government system must be strengthened.
Would you say the local government system was working?
I have no hesitation in saying that the 2001 Local Government system introduced by General Musharraf was much better insofar as empowering local governments was concerned. True democracy is only achieved at the local level. It is essential to create fiscal space for local governments vis a vis taxation and local budget spending is concerned. This frees the provincial government to spend funds from the NFC award on things like universities, welfare work et cetera. We must move towards that system.
Coming to your slogan “Kuchh Sharam hoti hai, Kuchh Hayaa hoti hai” which has become extremely popular with the general population, regardless of their political affiliation. What prompted this?
We promote a culture of civility in parliament and I had requested my party colleagues to not heckle Imran Khan and his party at one of the assembly sessions and let them complete what they wanted to say, advice which was accepted by and large. Imran Khan addressed the press right after it outside parliament and used abusive words for us. I found out and when the assembly reconvened, I took the floor and told them that “Kuchh Sharam hoti hai, Kuchh Haya hoti hai.” So that was the context in which it was said.
Do you think the PTI government should complete its term of 5 years?
No, I believe that 2.5 years were more than enough to expose the incompetence, inadequacy and corruption that this party has come to represent. It is clearly evident to the nation that they cannot rule and are hurtling us towards disasters, whether domestic or foreign.
Speaking of foreign relations, you have been the foreign minister of Pakistan as well. Can you tell us whether this government’s stance is working on Kashmir post 5th August 2019?
Unfortunately Pakistan does not have a stance on Kashmir anymore. This government’s criminally negligent approach has isolated Pakistan internationally where even friendly nations, such as Saudi Arabia and UAE, don’t take our side over Kashmir anymore. I don’t know, maybe we have made some international commitment under this government whereby we are to only pay lipservice to Kashmir now.
What is your advice on how we should approach geo-political relations?
We must have a geographical sense and be realistic. Our basic goal must be not to offend anybody but at the same time be cognizant of reality. We live in an increasingly radicalized neighborhood so we must tread carefully. Also, we must accommodate Iran – with which we have historical brotherly and linguistic ties – in our regional plans like CPEC. Insofar as trade is concerned, EU is a huge market for exports so obviously we must maintain good relations with them as well. We must categorize our relations as follows: (1) strategic importance (2) commercial importance; and (3) diplomatic importance. First and foremost, we must start with our own region as you cannot change your neighbors.
How are our relations with the Islamic world?
Our goal must be to maintain brotherly relations with all muslim countries, but unfortunately the Islamic world itself is deeply fragmented and we aren’t able to derive the best from it. Our religion is being exploited, however we are guilty of it ourselves as we allow outsiders to come and divide us and sow sectarian divisions.
There’s much talk of the overbearing role NAB is playing during the current government. Do you think NAB has gone beyond transparent accountability?
NAB’s only job during this government is political victimization. NAB carries out one-sided proceedings and as we can see that the entire top leadership of PMLN is being victimized. This is extremely bad for democracy and for the country.
What do you think about the quota system in our parliamentary setup?
I am a big proponent of the Women’s Parliamentary Caucus. Our aim is to increase female representation in parliament as women are ready and willing to step up into frontline roles. I think women are ready now for contesting on direct seats.
When not working in the constituencies, how do you pass your time?
I am very fond of reading books, poetry and listening to old songs. The genre depends on what mood I am in.
What advice would you give to the women?
I would urge them to be brimming with self-belief, self-confidence, and they must have goals in place. They should know what they want and then work towards achieving that goal. I would strongly advise those women already in power to hold hands of other women and empower them. They must become the voice of the voiceless.schooling is from Sacred Heart and then I spent around six years in the hostel. I think it was that period which instilled a sense of discipline and inculcated morals and values in me. Then, I completed Masters from the College of Home Economics.
How did your journey evolve from marriage to politics?
When I got married, I noticed that my in-laws were not really in favor of a political career. They were more inclined towards working as professionals. So I taught at the College of Home Economics for over six months and then opted out of it because I realized that it was the time to really put stress aside and enjoy life. Though it did not last long because I could not help but get myself to working again. I had the honor to accompany Begum Kulsoom during the 1997 election campaign when she started her door-to-door campaign. And then when Pervaiz entered the political scene, I campaigned for him. Let me add here that it was at this point I experienced the plight of our government schools that had been converted into polling stations. It was an eye opening event that shook me inside out So, with all my heart and will, I promised myself that if we win, I will work to the best of my ability to improve the situation of the government schools.
How far were you able to achieve this goal of revamping and improving the education system?
I tried my best. We became a bridge between the department and the schools. It was an uphill task to convince them, but I took the leap of faith anyway. I remember that Mian Shehbaz Sharif had introduced the “Adopt a School Policy” at that time. He took the task of revamping dear to his heart and was taken aback after learning about the deplorable condition of our schools.
You mentioned Mr. Shehbaz Sharif’s initiative, how beneficial was his support towards your goals and consistent work ethic?
Shehbaz sahab has been instrumental in ensuring that the work I did in the education sector bore fruit. I recall giving him a report on the state of government schools, which were below par. As is his style, he swung into action and ensured that I got whatever support I needed to revamp the schools, be it classrooms, hiring qualified teachers, books et cetera. I am proud of the fact that my party takes education seriously and has been fully onboard to fix the education system. Under Shehbaz Sharif’s leadership, I had the honor to serve on the PEF board twice, to work on the “Dengue Community Mobilization” initiative and, especially, I remember that we worked day and night during 2010’s devastating floods under rigid schedules.
How far were your endeavors of public good affected by the 1999 coup?
The Coup was a dark chapter in our history and I was very apprehensive about visiting government schools in its aftermath due to obvious political victimization that was going on in those days. I still recall fondly that all teachers of the four schools invited me to the schools and I can’t tell you the scale of welcome that I received. There were students lined up along with teachers and the love and affection I got from them is indescribable. It was heartwarming to say the least.
You made great sacrifices in those dark times, how did the regime try to victimize you?
I remember that after the coup we all got together and resolved to resist them. We tried to rally support from all quarters and were in the middle of a human rights committee meeting when the regime picked us up. The regime put me along with 30 other men and women in Model Town jail, and then sent us to Kot Lakhpat jail. Due to some reason the regime subsequently declared our homes sub-jails and put us under house arrest. In all those years we never gave up and stood firmly with the party every step of the way.
Coming back to your political life, after your long and tiring service at the grassroots level, when did you enter mainstream representative politics?
We as a family always thought that it would be best to have only one person from the family in politics. However, the first opportunity came when before the 2013 elections, Maryam bibi asked me to represent the party on a reserved seat. Initially I was reluctant but then Mian Nawaz Sharif sb also expressed his desire and the rest, as they say, is history!
Politics is a difficult field and balancing family and work must be difficult. How do you strike a balance?
I strongly believe that Allah has given women multi-tasking abilities. I have never complained about the grueling routine as often I have to go out into the field with my husband to meet people or resolve their problems. To serve people is a gift from Allah, one we must cherish.
Speaking of Mr. Pervaiz Malik, what has his role been vis-à-vis your political activities?
He has been very understanding and encouraging throughout this time. He’s currently in his fifth term as a member of parliament whereas I am a 2nd time parliamentarian. I get to learn a lot from him and for us, the welfare of our constituencies is supreme. Even if there are 5 different invites in a day from our constituencies, Pervaiz sb makes sure that we attend them all.
There are three members of parliament in your household; do you discuss politics a lot?
Believe me, we don’t discuss politics at all.
Being on the treasury benches must be very different from being in opposition. How are you coping with this change?
Definitely, being in opposition is a whole different ball-game. It is a very challenging yet an illuminating learning process. One of the things that you learn in opposition is that you have to carry out a more in depth analysis of any bills being presented by the government in order to hold them accountable and to challenge them. I consult with lawyers to ensure that the bills being presented by the government are legally sound and are not anti-people.
Being in opposition, how difficult do you find being a member of parliament?
The government is not giving us any funds at all for us to be able to work on many initiatives. In a personal capacity, I am trying my best to ensure that women are given skill-sets to be able to earn for themselves.
here’s much talk about capital punishment by Imran Khan for rapists in the aftermath of the horrific incident on motorway. Considering there has been a blowout of such incidents across the country recently, what’s your view on it?
Ironically, we already have laws on the books as an anti-rape amendment was passed during the PMLN tenure. I am extremely proud of the fact that my daughter in law Sahar, an accomplished lawyer in her own right, helped me in drafting the Criminal Law (Amendment) (Offences Relating to Rape) Act 2016. It would appear that Imran Khan doesn’t read the laws and nobody around him tells him about them either. The attempt to reinvent the wheel smacks of political opportunism, nothing else.
Isn’t the issue with the Zainab Alert bill the same?
Yes, absolutely. Zainab Alert bill provides a one window solution whereby the victim’s identity is shielded, the victim is entitled to get copies of all recordings, and she may not be asked to appear in the public. All safety protocols are provided in the bill, however, the government is dragging its feet and still hasn’t appointed even a Director General which is mandated by law. The saddest part of this whole exercise is the non-serious attitude of this government despite the plethora of new such cases coming out every day.
Speaking of children, do you think it’s wise to open schools right now considering that COVID-19 is still very much around and many cases are being reported even today?
I believe it is not advisable at all to open schools right now, especially when the government has no mechanism of ensuring compliance with SOP requirements.
There’s much talk of the overbearing role NAB is playing during the current government. Do you think NAB has gone beyond transparent accountability?
NAB’s only job during this government is political victimization. NAB carries out one-sided proceedings and as we can see that the entire top leadership of PMLN is being victimized. This is extremely bad for democracy and for the country.
What do you think about the quota system in our parliamentary setup?
I am a big proponent of the Women’s Parliamentary Caucus. Our aim is to increase female representation in parliament as women are ready and willing to step up into frontline roles. I think women are ready now for contesting on direct seats.
When not working in the constituencies, how do you pass your time?
I am very fond of reading books, poetry and listening to old songs. The genre depends on what mood I am in.
What advice would you give to the women?
I would urge them to be brimming with self-belief, self-confidence, and they must have goals in place. They should know what they want and then work towards achieving that goal. I would strongly advise those women already in power to hold hands of other women and empower them. They must become the voice of the voiceless.How will the US withdrawal from Afghanistan impact us?
It is important to understand that the seeds were sown in the 1980s in the name of Jihad whereas the reality is that we were fighting the US’ war against the USSR as the former’s proxy. We were very tolerant before this war but it ended up disfiguring our society and radicalized us. As far as the impact of withdrawal is concerned, peace in Afghanistan will bring us political and economic dividends once the peace process is finalized and is operational.
Has there been a political shift by the current government on CPEC?
During PMLN’s government, there was rapid progress on CPEC. At the moment the West is forcing Pakistan to walk back from CPEC. We should pray that the day doesnt come when almost 4.5 million Pakistani expats are returned from Saudi Arabia and the UAE, as that will be disastrous.
Now onwards to lighter things. What do you like to read?
I love reading history. Biggest lesson from history is that nobody learns from history.
What genre of music do you listen to?
I mostly listen to old songs of madam noor Jahan & Muhammad Rafi
Do you watch movies? What about Netfix?
I do watch movies on Netflix when I get the time. I fondly recall that when I was younger, we used to go to cinema to watch the special screenings on Sundays. In those days there was more respect for the law as well. On Mall road we used to mind our lanes and stop at traffic lights and the traffic police used to look at us and smile as if to say, “good job for following the law.” Times have changed.
You are very fit and healthy, what’s the secret behind it?
I love to walk a lot, infact I walk 7-8 kilometers everyday.
Are you a foodie?
I do like to eat. In fact my daughter in New York has a diploma from a culinary school and is a chef there. My son runs his food business in Islamabad.
Who has been your great source of strength?
After my father passed away, my mother lived with us for 20 years. Every morning I used to go to her to take her prayers, she was the greatest source of strength for me.
Is there something that the Party needs to learn from the recent elections?
Firstly I believe that bringing Imran Khan was the biggest mistake and we will regret this for years to come. Secondly, we need to reflect on where we went wrong with giving tickets to people to fight elections. I believe we lost as many seats to bad ticket selections as to election engineering against us.