Can Imran Khan bring a change?

PTI chief's decision to name and shame one-third of the party's leaders was lauded by harshest critics

Some weeks back, Imran Khan, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief, was heavily criticised for using the old tactics to climb the political ladder. His decision to accept some of the controversial figures into the party’s fold even drew the ire of his closest aides. But his latest decision to name and shame one-third of the PTI’s lawmakers from the K-P Assembly for allegedly selling their votes in the Senate elections is certainly unprecedented, something that even won applause from his staunchest critics. This was perhaps the first tangible move taken by Imran Khan that clearly makes him stand out from the rest of our political class. He has no doubt set the new bar while putting his political opponents in an awkward situation. Horse-trading and the use of millions of rupees to buy votes in the Senate elections is not something new. Even after the recent elections, all political parties spoke against the practice. But none had the courage to go beyond mere condemnation. Imran Khan, nevertheless, broke that barrier.

But this was just one of many steps Imran has to take if he really wants to alter the political course of Pakistan. He has inspired the educated but disenfranchised the middle class and youth of Pakistan because of his slogan of change.

Can he really bring the change this nation has been yearning for many decades?

His critics have serious doubts about him as the PTI leader has not yet done something different from the traditional political parties. For example, he is surrounded by the same old faces and opportunists, who remained part of our dysfunctional political system. Like other political forces, he is relying on ‘electables’ rather than bringing new faces with a clean record. On top of it, he has been accused of being the establishment’s man.

His supporters, however, strongly disagree. They say that Imran may be employing old political tactics and accepting some people in the party with tainted backgrounds, yet he cannot be compared with the Sharifs and Bhuttos as they have been tried and tested many times. That’s true!

But the key question remains as to how with same old faces can Imran usher Pakistan into a new era of political stability?

To be fair to him, only a handful of politicians can claim not to have enjoyed the backing of the establishment at some point in their political careers. Nawaz Sharif and Zulfikar Ali Bhutto were once labelled as the establishment’s men. But both Nawaz and Bhutto at the end revolted against their masters.

So, there is very likelihood that Imran, once elected, may choose his own path. People who know Imran closely believe that he is one who wants absolute authority. His cricketing career also suggested the same. He was not only a captain but a de facto head of the cricket board. That is not a bad trait given the fact that Pakistan needs a prime minister, who can command full authority. Unlike established democracies, in Pakistan a PM may not necessarily be all powerful because there are other power centres too. Will Imran Khan rectify that anomaly if he makes it to the office? History shows none of the elected prime ministers succeeded in this endeavour.

Provided the PTI won the next parliamentary polls, Imran would have two choices (a) to compromise and strike a deal with the powers that be (b) or tries to assert himself and restore the sanctity of the prime minister’s office. If he opts for the first option then he is unlikely to bring changes he has been talking about for many years. Therefore, he has to go for the second option if he indeed wants to make a “new Pakistan.” Otherwise he may just be another prime minister.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 23^rd, 2018.

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