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The Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) has nominated Ali Amin Gandapur for the position of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chief minister and the decision is being questioned by both critics and supporters of the party online.

Gandapur has a colourful past. He was accused in 2017 of facilitating eight people accused of involvement in the alleged stripping and parading naked of a teenage girl in Dera Ismail Khan. It was a PTI lawmaker, Dawar Khan Kundi, who had claimed that Gandapur provided “support for the criminals in the case in which an orphan girl was paraded naked by eight armed men” in DI Khan.

“After privately investigating the case, the reservations of the concerned family were true. Ali Amin provided logistic and physical support to the criminals in violation of the moral norms of society,” he alleged.

In a video shared in 2021, Gandapur was seen bobbing his head to the beat of ‘Shenai’ by DJ Kantik while his son drove a vehicle and two other grown men sat in the backseat. Putting aside the strange music choice, the son in question didn’t look a day over 10, let alone 18 years old. This was a blatant violation of Pakistani law, which Gandapur swore to uphold when he was a federal minister.

Needless to say, the PTI leader does not have the cleanest record, and people are — rightfully — upset about this decision.

People called him one of the most “vile and misogynistic politicians in the country”.

The former minister fired off a series of sexist remarks at PML-N Vice President Maryam Nawaz, including claims that she has had plastic surgery worth millions.

Speaking at a public rally in Kashmir, Gandapur called Maryam a “daku rani [bandit queen]” and claimed she had plastic surgery done worth Rs80 million and that he would “reveal her real face”.

“I have a lot more to say but I will only say this to her (Maryam) that if we come to slaps then you will get slapped so much that your [real] face will be uncovered from the Rs80 million [cosmetic] surgery you have done from our [tax] money.”

Lawyer Salaar Khan maintained that Gandapur’s nomination was “an injustice”, and those favouring him for his aggression were wrong because “he’s supposed to run a province not win a cage fight”.

He correctly pointed out that shining the spotlight on other problematic politicians is not a sustainable counterargument. Gandapur is facing opposition because of his actions as an individual. Misogynistic brutes have no place in positions of power regardless of their party alliances — this remains true for PML-N’s Rana Sanaullah when he made sexist remarks during a press conference or Afnan Ullah Khan’s disparaging comments about Mahira Khan and Anwar Maqsood.

Unacceptable behaviour, be it misogyny or violence, is unacceptable from any individual, especially when they are gunning for a spot in a public office where they will be representing hundreds of thousands of citizens.

Netizens also highlighted that those supporting Gandapur’s nomination for his thuggish behaviour could be at the receiving end of said behaviour.

“He poses the same dangers to you as he does to PTI critics.”

Others emphasised how brawn over brains was not the best idea, as historically demonstrated by other parties as well.

Activist and politician Ammar Rashid questioned what Gandapur’s qualifications were and asked if keeping the police and bureaucracy in line were the only criteria the PTI had for choosing a chief minister.

People also highlighted that party loyalty should not be the marker for defending those with a history of wrongdoing.

Others believed that support or silence regarding Gandapur’s appointment meant holding your peace when women’s rights movements ignored PTI issues.

Perhaps in 2024, political parties should reevaluate who they want in such prominent positions, and those who vote for parties should hold them accountable for whom they appoint to positions of power.

Gandapur’s appointment is a dangerous precedent to set.