ISLAMABAD: While appearing on a local news channel, Federal Minister for Water Resources Faisal Vawda pulled out a military boot and placed it on the table to insult the opposition parties who ostensibly went against their narrative of civilian supremacy by supporting the Pakistan Army (Amendment) Act 2020 in parliament.
The legislation was introduced to provide legal cover to the extension of the army chief’s tenure in office, a move that was hotly debated across the country and had a polarizing impact of its political landscape.
Vawda kicked up drama on Tuesday while appearing on a television talk show with the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leader, Qamar Zaman Kaira, and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) stalwart, Senator Javed Abbasi.
The federal minister slammed the boot onto the table while discussing Nawaz Sharif, saying: “In order to save your plunder and escape the country, you stooped and gave respect to the boot.”
Kaira demanded to know if Vawda was implying that the army had forced the opposition parties to vote in favor of the legislation before saying that the whole stunt was highly disrespectful to the armed forces of the country and calling it “a mockery of the army.”
At one point, the talk show host tried to lighten up the situation, asking Vawda where he had acquired the boot from. The minister used the question to slam the opposition again, gesturing to his co-guests and saying, “Ask them.”
Kaira and Abbasi left the show in protest, and it was not long before opposition members began condemning Vawda’s move.
“This can’t be normalized, no matter what the point of the parody,” PPP’s Sherry Rahman tweeted. “Disappointed and disgusted that public discourse has sunk to this level. It is everyone’s right to critique another’s actions but this, this plumbs new depths. Cheap thrills just got a whole lot cheaper.”
This can’t be normalised, no matter what the point of the parody.Disappointed and disgusted that public discourse has sunk to this level. It is everyone ‘s right to critique anothers actions but this, this plumbs new https://t.co/pWlUjgK8ix thrills just got a whole lot cheaper https://t.co/vpaJK8ivqU
— SenatorSherryRehman (@sherryrehman) January 14, 2020
“Faisal has disgraced the institution [of the military] by bringing the shoe into controversy in [an] otherwise popular talk show,” wrote senior journalist Mazhar Abbas. “He has not only exposed himself but the [Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf] party as well. Let see how the PM will react and above all how the Institution will take it.”
Faisal has disgraced the Institution by bringing the shoe into controversy in otherwise popular talk show. He has not only exposed himself but the party as well. Let see how the PM will react and above all how the Institution will take it.
— Mazhar Abbas (@MazharAbbasGEO) January 14, 2020
Journalist Talat Hussain also took issue with Vawda’s move, writing to his 3.3 million Twitter followers: “PM Imran’s cabinet minister brings an army boot in a tv show, displays it on the table, keeps it next to him throughout to prove that everyone in the parliament including the opposition fell at army’s feet in order to please them. Haven’t seen a more lowly act on tv recently.”
PM Imran’s cabinet minister brings an army boot in a tv show, displays it on the table, keeps it next to him throughout to prove that everyone in the parliament including the opposition fell at army’s feet in order to please them. Havent seen a more lowly act on tv recently.
— Syed Talat Hussain (@TalatHussain12) January 14, 2020
PTI supporters have defended the minister’s actions, though no senior leader of the ruling party has released a statement on the incident. There has also been no official response from the army.
