Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan quite frequently comes up with names for his fellow politicians. From names like cherry blossom, kukri, diesel, and nani, Khan has repetitively used these names to demean his political rivals.
Cherry blossom:
Khan has started addressing Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Shairf as ‘cherry blossom’ and often calls him “boot polishiya” [someone who polishes boots].
In the same public address, Khan also called Shehbaz as “chooha” [mouse/rat].
Geedar- Nawaz Sharif
The PTI chairman called Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo Nawaz Sharif a “geedar” [jackal] and said, “Geedar (jackal) cannot be a leader.”
Maryam Nani
Imran Khan called PML-N Vice President Maryam Nawaz “nani” [Grandmother].
Later addressing Maryam as “bachi” [child], Khan said she does not have a political standing.
‘Baby Bilawal- Bilawal Sahiba’
Khan during his jalsa in 2015 addressed Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) chairperson Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari as “beta [son] and baby”. The former premier said, “Bilawal beta this is not how politics is done. Politics is not done by putting pictures of your grandfather and mother in the back ground. We are going to make a Naya Pakistan baby Bilawal.”
In 2019, Khan addressed Bilawal as “sahiba” [Madam]. He said, “Bilawal Bhutto sahiba ki tarhan mein koi kagazh ki parchi pay nahi aya tha.” [I did not come into politics on a piece of paper like Madam Bilawal Bhutto.]
Later in 2020, he referred to Bilawal as a child and criticised him for not having done an actual job in his life.
Diesel- Maulana Fazl
Khan said that Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Major-General Qamar Javed Bajwa asked him not to call Jamiat-Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl’s (JUI-F) Maulana Fazlur Rehman “diesel”.
“I was just talking to Gen Bajwa and he told me not to refer to Fazl as diesel. But I am not the one who is saying that. The people have named him diesel,” said Khan.
Hamza Kukri
The PTI chairman has often called Chief Minister Hamza Shehbaz “kukri” [ chicken].
Three stooges
Khan called Maulana Fazlur Rehman, Shehbaz Sharif, and PPP co-chairperson Asif Ali Zardari the “three stooges”, referring to a classic American programme. This address was before Khan was ousted from power. He told his party members that the no-confidence motion was a “blessing” as it had “lifted” Khan’s party.
