In our neck of the woods, there have been all kinds of reactions. Wide swathes of the population enjoyed watching the shenanigans on television and audiences had almost forgotten about what was happening in Gaza. City people have a low boredom threshold and for them the footage was jolly good entertainment. The carnival represented some kind of hope. It also uncorked a whole new raft of conspiracy theories. Imran Khan projected himself as the voice of the future. He hogged the limelight, savoured every moment of glory bestowed by a captive audience … promised divine justice and prosperity for everybody. To his followers it was a sort of Second Coming.
Members of Karachi’s Tea Party, however, were less than enthusiastic about the two cavalcades, not because of any particular liking for the democratic system, but because they believe the revolt would spawn political instability at a time when the military was fiercely engaged in combating militancy. Some citizens have stated that in urging people not to pay taxes, Imran Khan was committing political suicide. However, in all fairness to the man, he did publicly endorse what people had been saying and feeling for a very long time — not just the alleged official manipulation of election results and widespread corruption at all levels of federal and provincial hierarchies, but the fact that after wading through the messy and unappetising compendium of leftovers, and manifesto promises to put things right, nothing substantial has ever been achieved. M Ziauddin, in his column on these pages, had vividly described how members of the Muslim League cabinet had become totally inaccessible to the public and behaved as if they were blue-blooded Ruritarians answerable only to themselves.
Much has been said and written about the PTI leader urging civil disobedience on the telly. References have even been made to India’s greatest son, Mahatma Gandhi, though the circumstances were drastically different. But I remember quite vividly the deathly hush that descended on the PTI mob when he advocated such drastic action. One wonders, however, whether it was a spur-of-the-moment thing … something that suddenly sprung to mind when he was at a loss for words … or whether he meant what he said. Pierre Poujade, the Gallic shopkeeper-turned-politician, tried something similar in France a long time ago. It didn’t work there and it certainly won’t work in Pakistan.
Rabble rousing is an art. Adolf Hitler, Fidel Castro, and the granddaddy of public speaking, Marcus Tullius Cicero, Roman politician, orator, lawyer, political theorist and constitutionalist, were exceptionally good at it even though they often had a one-point agenda. Future demagogues would certainly benefit from studying their techniques. One can only hope that wiser counsel will soon prevail and stability is restored. In conclusion, all one can say is that occasional outbursts such as that recently took place, while they frighten the daylights out of entrenched leaders, also remind them that they are not sacrosanct, and are expected to fulfil promises made to the electorate.
Published in The Express Tribune, August 24th, 2014.
Like Opinion & Editorial on Facebook, follow @ETOpEd on Twitter to receive all updates on all our daily pieces.
COMMENTS (2)
Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.
For more information, please see our Comments FAQ
It isn't over until the fat lady sings........and that has not happened.
In any other country, asking people not to pay taxes, or remitting money through hundi/havala would be considered criminal if not treasonable offences. Imran Khan will deeply regret encouraging people to break the law. But perhaps he has realized that there is no chance he will ever become prime minister (unless the army intervenes and puts him in the driving seat).