A video shared by Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz leader Tallah Chaudhry is doing the rounds on social media in whcih a local official of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf can clearly be heard threatening to murder PML-N leader Maryam Nawaz. He does this in the presence of at least a dozen people - who are visible in the video - and the former deputy speaker of the National Assembly Qasim Suri.
“If they unjustly arrest Imran Khan, then I will kill Maryam Nawaz. I have even told this to my wife,” he says as the men around Qasim Suri break out into applause.
According to Chaudhry’s caption, the visuals are from a corner meeting ahead of the NA-108 by-election in Faisalabad. Imran Khan is a contestant on the seat which was vacated after the acceptance of the resignation of PTI’s Farrukh Habib.
From PML-N, Abid Sher Ali is contesting for the seat where polls will take place on Sunday.
Chaudhry’s caption added that with defeat visible, Imran’s supporters were preparing for violence. “Election commission and the police should take action. Otherwise, we can go to any extent to protect our leadership,” he warned.
Social media was quick in condemning the threat as well as the reaction to it.
“One cannot support or encourage death threats against any public figure of any party,” tweeted journalist Fifi Haroon.
Those lauding the death threat pose a greater threat than the threat itself, noted journalist Marianna Babar. “Suri also encourages him. These mindsets have to be defeated.”
Most were shocked by the cuplability of a former public office holder.
An even bigger crime is that this person was allowed to continue speaking after making the death threat, wrote user with the handle awan_kr.
“He continues to speak in the meeting even after his threat. By not calling out what is wrong, Suri becomes cuplable.”
Others called for police action against him while tagging the Punjab police in their quote tweets.
Many called for Suri’s arrest as well.
One user said that Imran Khan had not only ruined the younger generation, but also the old guard in an obvious reference to Suri’s muted response to the threat.
For another, such developments were disconcerting with possible ramifications in the future.
“We and our upcoming generation will face the consequences of #ImranKhan’s bloody politics,” tweeted user with the handle rafay_sarwar.
One user said that this was yet another reason to disavow PTI. “The truth of PTI. This is what they want,” said user who uses the moniker MiddleClassMirza.
By the time this report was filed, the video had been retweeted over 1,000 times along with being shared from other accounts.
