A vandalised dream!
The writer is a lawyer and volunteer executive member of Blind Resource Foundation Pakistan
‘Victory has a thousand fathers, but defeat is an orphan’
Side-stepping from the legal, constitutional or political debate, I am merely expressing my opinion regarding a person whom I have been idealising since the very childhood.
A man who inspired generations:
A sportsman who grabbed global admiration through his sporting skills; a passionate humanitarian, who taught masses the art of overcoming their obstacles with zeal and persistence; a politician who gave the idle youth a vision and hope for a brighter future.
Speaking of my personal impressions:
When I was not even capable of spelling the word ‘cricket’ or comprehending the rudiments of the game, I was able to sense the unprecedented admiration for the ‘skipper’ all around (be it boundless fandom, merchandise range or media coverage) whose genius had crafted this sport into a symbol of national unity and a source of ultimate joy and pride for the entire nation.
Growing up, I fantasized the ambitious campaign of raising funds for an idealistic goal of establishing and running charitable cancer hospital. Within the matter of time, I was overjoyed to witness this fantasy (labeled by many wise people as childish desire) taking the form of a concrete reality. Many people of my age would be able to relate to the fascinating memories of making desperate efforts to contribute in the noble cause however small it might be.
The unconventional political struggle, principled stance and promise of a better and dignified future once again captivated my attention. Matters concerning legal and political affairs broadened my thought-process. It did not take long for me to start dreaming yet again to witness my dearest homeland standing out among the sovereign and prosperous states of the world.
However, unlike the past, this dream proved to be a very short-lived one. The foundation began to crumble much before its consolidation. The scattered particles of hope and promise transformed my dream into a nightmare. Rightly or wrongly so, considering Imran Khan a symbol of victory, who is not susceptible to defeat, his failure to fulfil hopes I had associated with him and his ultimate ugly departure from power left me devastated and heart-wrenched. The fear of irreversible loss of my idealistic fantasy and of leadership slipping into sloppy hand once again, was enough to haunt me and crush my patriotic aspirations.
Hesitantly, I would confess that due to my profound affinity with my unruly mentor, I was determined to keep my hope, howsoever dimmed, lit till the last ball of the match. But, alas, to my ultimate dismay, during the probable final over of the game, while symbols of national significance began to be battered, I felt my own left over optimism being brutally vandalised.
I might sound biased or immature to many, despite all his shortcomings as a national leader; administrative failures and political blunders that he made during his brief tenure of three and a half years in power; his candid narrative that he built after walking out of the Prime Minister’s House; and, most unfortunate incident of institutional clash and unsubstantiated blame-game, resulting in his political isolation, it is really hard for me to censure him or hold him accused or sole culprit for causing the ongoing unrest and disorder, for, the qualities of self-belief, unshakable courage, compassion, ambitiousness and perseverance that he had instilled in me over the years is far more valuable than his lack of statesmanship qualities.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 31st, 2023.
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