Will Imran be able to deliver if he gets a second chance?

Addressing party leaders and workers in Lahore on March 4, PTI Chairman and former Prime Minister Imran Khan asserted: “I am ready to talk to everyone, reconcile with everyone – because the entire nation needs to get united to save Pakistan from an imminent disaster.”

Khan offered an olive branch to his opponents, but at the same time he ruled out talking to the “thieved”, referring to the PDM leaders.

While giving a roadmap to run the country, Khan said that the “new government should go for reforms in the judiciary and other state institutions, drastically cut expenditures, enhance the tax base and woo overseas Pakistanis.” He also stressed that the rule of law and an effective justice system could control prices, eradicate corruption and nepotism.

Can Imran Khan return to power with a thumping majority and govern without compromising on principles which was not the case with his previous government spanning around four years?

Politics is the art of the possible and no power on earth can prevent Khan from winning elections with an overwhelming majority. Critics blame him for corruption citing Toshakhana case, foreign funding case and numerous other cases which are now being heard in different courts of Pakistan.

PML-N chief organizer Maryam Nawaz is using harsh language against the PTI chief, criticising him for “shying away from accepting his daughter” as well as “his lack of courage to face the jail”. Almost all opposition parties with one voice are determined not to allow PTI to return to power, defying the orders of Supreme Court to hold elections in Punjab and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa within 90 days. But, Khan is resilient and determined to fight against what he calls corrupt forces that have ganged up against him to prevent his return to power.

No political leader in Pakistan, barring Sheikh Mujibur Rehman, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and Altaf Hussain, reached the zenith of popularity that Khan has touched. What is the reason behind this surge in popularity since his ouster from power in April last year and how can PTI confront the forces that have formed an unholy alliance to prevent Khan’s return to power? Will Imran Khan get a second chance and if he succeeds in reaching the corridors of power in next elections, will he be any different and refrain from taking U-turns and compromising on principles?

Khan has, on several occasions, confessed that he failed to deliver because his government was weak and dependent on coalition partners and that the then Chief of Army Staff, General Qamar Javed Bajwa, was complacent with corrupt politicians and had stabbed him in the back by having a nexus with PML-N and PPP to remove him from power. Had Khan possessed political acumen and integrity, he should have refused to compromise and left the government instead of sticking to power till the time he was ousted through a vote of no-confidence. He would have salvaged his credibility had he exposed elements who were trying to destabilise his government instead of blaming the then Army Chief and the US of conspiring against him.

Pakistan’s political and economic predicament is getting serious with each passing day because neither the government nor the security establishment or the PTI are committed to pull the country from the prevailing crisis. In this scenario, Khan’s March 4 speech in Lahore needs to be analysed from three major aspects.

First, regardless of gap in theory and practice, it seems this time Khan means business and is clear about things which he wants to accomplish if he again comes to power. His previous stint in power for around four years was marred with inexperience and the manner in which sycophants were able to influence his policies and decisions. Even then, he tried to put things in order despite the pandemic and resistance from mafias who tried their best to derail the process of accountability. If he gets a second chance with comfortable majority, he will make sure that his focus remains on the rule of law, good governance, accountability, vibrant economy, quality education, protecting environment, eradicating the VVIP culture and upholding of merit by all means. Khan’s success in implementing his vision for a better Pakistan also depends on his team which should be honest, intelligent and imbued with a professional mindset. Certainly, the issues faced by Pakistan are such that Khan alone cannot turn around things unless he has the support of people. Arrogance, ignorance and addiction of power which cause failure of every regime should be a lesson for Khan as this may be his last chance.

Second, if Khan is given another opportunity to assume power, he needs to be mindful of transforming the culture of Pakistan which is not work oriented and promotes hypocrisy, cheating, corruption and nepotism. That is only possible when the PTI leadership is different from that of other parties and focuses on eradicating VVIP culture by promoting simplicity, time management, austerity, augmenting exports, gaining the confidence of overseas Pakistan for investments and restoring the image of Pakistan by adopting a policy of self-reliance instead of relying on foreign loans. For that matter, in first two years, the future PTI government must ensure enhancing foreign exchange reserves to something like $35 billion; exports to $45 billion; remittances of $50 billion and Foreign Direct Investment to $25 billion. This way, it will be possible to gradually reduce Pakistan’s dependence on foreign borrowings. After all, it is the economy that matters and would also require promoting sound work ethics based on reward and punishment. By taking examples of various models of success like Japan, South Korea, China, Singapore, Malaysia, India and the UAE, the future PTI government must promote work-oriented environment through use of human resource.

Finally, mobilising the youth who constitute 65% of the population needs to be a priority for Khan. The youth of Pakistan deserve the opportunity for quality education, health and employment so that they can effectively contribute towards the country’s progress and development. With proper will and determination, courage, clarity, consistency, integrity and skills, the future government of PTI can certainly deliver.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 14^th, 2023.

Like Opinion & Editorial on Facebook, follow @ETOpEd on Twitter to receive all updates on all our daily pieces.