The politics of petulance

There are few less edifying sights than a politician having a hissy-fit, and Imran Khan has just provided a textbook example of the genre. Having completely failed — or even got close — to unseating the sitting government over the Panama Papers episode (which we agree that the prime minister needs to answer questions in respect of) he has apparently decided to take a leaf from the Turkish playbook. “People will celebrate a military takeover in Pakistan,” quoth he, and democracy, admittedly a somewhat tattered flag, is threatened by the ‘monarchy’ of Nawaz Sharif.

He lauded those in Turkey that stood against those attempting a coup, but said the opposite would happen if there was such an eventuality in Pakistan and that the populace would rise up to distribute sweets of welcome to the soldiery should they make a takeover. The question of whether his statements amount to treason in his advocacy of a military overthrow of an elected government, we will leave to constitutional lawyers, but questions need answering as to whether Mr Khan is fit for purpose given the shallow petulance of his remarks. This is a chucking-the-teddies-around-the-playpen moment, not a piece of inspired statesmanship in difficult times.



The government has rightly taken a drubbing in these columns over the years, and no analyst worthy of the title would say that Pakistan is a paradigm built of democratic virtues because it most certainly is not. It is ramshackle, inefficient in innumerable aspects, hugely corrupt and on occasion an international laughing-stock — but it remains upright for all its faults, is not about to implode and is a long way from the potential failed-statehood of just five years ago. Yes, President Erdogan of Turkey has performed something of a miracle economically and won two elections in quick succession, but at a terrible cost to his nation’s social fabric. It is a country ripped asunder, and Imran Khan would do well to ponder why it was that an attempted coup was mounted because it was not out of love for Mr Erdogan that is for certain. Mr Khan has served his country — and democracy — ill on this occasion, and not for the last time we suspect.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 19^th, 2016.

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