The election of Sadiq Khan as mayor of London reflects the political sagacity and maturity of those who voted for him
LAHORE: The election of Sadiq Khan as mayor of London reflects the political sagacity and maturity of those who voted for him. Khan, the son of an immigrant bus driver, studied law and was a human rights lawyer who earned the respect of his community and got elected as a Labour Party member of parliament from the London constituency of Tooting in 2005 and later became the minister for communities and transport under Gordon Brown. His devotion, community service and integrity won the hearts and minds of citizens, which made it possible for him to defeat a wealthy Conservative, Zac Goldsmith, in an election campaign where the opposition launched a smear campaign maligning him of having alleged links with extremists.
Khan has always been proud of his humble background and unlike Goldsmith, he is not a millionaire. There are numerous Pakistani politicians, children of poor parents, who have gone from rags to riches by becoming involved in crime and corruption. Unlike Khan, these nouveau riche Pakistani politicians, with overseas assets and numerous offshore accounts, lack any credibility or political standing. In Pakistan, the son of a pakora seller from Lahore’s walled city who owns hotels in Ireland, Scotland and Canada, minted billions as a minister; yet, he never paid substantial income tax, and has got his surety forfeited in numerous elections.
What the people of Pakistan have forgotten is that the founding fathers of Pakistan, both Allama Iqbal and the Quaid-e-Azam, were educated and self-made men, who were able to achieve for themselves a place in history through commitment, character and integrity — unlike political leaders implicated in multiple scams who dominate our political horizon and under whose watch Pakistan has become economically bankrupt. The country is characterised by rampant corruption and unchecked bribery facilitating terrorism.
Malik Tariq Ali
Published in The Express Tribune, May 10th, 2016.
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