ISLAMABAD: Winning the cricket series against England, the number one ranked Test team in the world, is surely a cause for much national joy. It is especially welcome since there is not much else to celebrate in the country. I may be laughed at but I will go ahead and make a suggestion: why can’t the lessons of cricket be applied to the way we run our political system?
As recently as 18 months ago, the national cricket team was down in the dumps, tainted by spot-fixing allegations involving none other than the then captain and two key bowlers. However, these three were eventually tried and convicted in a court of law and sentenced to serve time in jail. As a result, the team was purged of its black sheep, so to speak.
This, as one would expect, turned out to be a blessing in disguise. A new captain took charge, one who is educated (and even has an MBA degree) and he has led by example. This man from Mianwali, is from the same Niazi clan as Imran Khan, leads from the front, exhibits calm authority, and provides resilience and stability to the team.
These lessons from our cricket team are simple and can and should be applied to our national politics. 1. Discard, once and for all, all those politicians who are corrupt and involved in loot and plunder of state resources and the national exchequer. 2. Vote for a leader who can deliver and do not vote for those who have already been given a chance but did not deliver. 3. Reward that person who has a good upright character in whose hands you can trust your life.
Imran Khan is that choice for me — readers need to ask themselves what is theirs.
Ilyas Anwar
Published in The Express Tribune, February 2nd, 2012.
