Imran Khan came across as a breath of fresh air for me.
LAHORE: Right after his successful rally in Lahore, I happened to run into PTI chief Imran Khan at Dubai Airport. He was on his way to China (something that he alluded to in his speech at his October 30 rally) and I was on my way to Europe for a business trip. It was a chance meeting and it left me feeling not just hopeful, but elated. He was sitting in the lounge at the airport all by himself, with no protocol and no hangers-on, and I strolled over and asked him if I could sit next to him. I congratulated him on the success of his rally and he thanked me, emphasising that it was all due to his compatriots, especially the youth. He also talked about how he wanted to rid Pakistan of its existing problems.
As he stood to leave, I noticed he carried a bunch of passports with him, old and new. I couldn’t help but inquire why he carried so many when he could easily walk through all checks unhindered. Khan sahib’s answer was, “I practice what I preach”.
Imran Khan came across as a breath of fresh air for me. I feel as if the way politics is done in this country is now going to change. And I think there are thousands of other Pakistanis who share this view.
Nadeem Karim
Published in The Express Tribune, November 4th, 2011.
