Khan is, therefore, left operating largely on his own wits
ISLAMABAD: Imran Khan has admitted on numerous occasions that he is not a politician, and rightly so, for his way of going about the business is certainly unique. Some find it abhorrent though. Yet, what Imran has achieved thus far in his most inimitable way is nothing short of a mighty applause. For the first time in the history of Pakistan, ordinary folk have become aware of the grotesque level of corruption, and the consequent harm to them.
The Panama leaks could have slickly passed away over a short period of time, just like hundreds of other mega scandals. Imran khan was the only one who kept the issue alive resulting in the Supreme Court’s intervention. Historically, as Pakistan swings between military government and sham democracy, hidden below is a startling link of elitist interest. The industrial, military, land-owning, and a handful of political dynasties, essentially, all are interlinked. During Benazir Bhutto’s stint as prime minister, Pakistan was ranked among the top three most corrupt countries in the world. And with the helping hand of ‘Mr. Ten Per cent’, charges of corruption and foreign bank accounts were filed in many Western countries. The duo stood accused of looting no less than $1.4 billion from the state.
General (retd) Pervez Musharraf’s dictatorship, resulting in the infamous National Reconciliation Ordinance, was another nail in the coffin. It not only strengthened the beneficiaries of ill-gotten wealth, but thousands of career criminals were set free. Musharraf’s initial penchant for accountability went down the drain. Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif performed no better, piling stacks of corruption cases over the years, but most of the files are eating dust somewhere in the courts. The only exception now is the Panama leaks case.
Therefore, this perpetually flawed system run by an elitist club for the greedy and their Machiavellian policies has given rise to fundamentalism — the madrassa brand of education mushrooming all over Pakistan. It is a severe indictment of our society that millions live in abject poverty whilst our shameless leaders fail to deliver.
Imran Khan, for the last 20 years, is fighting for social justice. His cancer hospital is just one example where the poor are treated for free and given the same attention and facilities without bias. Again, full credit goes to him for stubbornly pursuing the Panama issue. The other major party is full of rhetoric, fearing that the issue of accountability may eventually harm them. Khan is, therefore, left operating largely on his own wits; his methods may be inelegant, but he has rekindled hopes for many.
Danish Aftab
Published in The Express Tribune, November 13th, 2016.
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