Just when you knock down one argument for Imran’s ascent to power, another one arises in its place. First, we are told that everyone else has been tried and been found wanting, so now Imran should get his chance; as if he is the neglected kid at the birthday party who hasn’t yet had a go at getting a prize while playing pass the parcel. Then his record as cricket captain is touted, which requires one to overlook that he had all the dictatorial tendencies of Caligula while leading the team. A quality that may be fine for someone leading the notoriously ill-disciplined cricket team but not something one is looking for in a democratic leader.
By far, the most compelling argument in Imran’s favour was his incorruptibility and integrity. Here was a man who had navigated the grimiest corners of Pakistan — its political world — and emerged with nary a black mark. Imran had turned down the entreaties of a dictator and could lament the corruption of the civilian leadership without a hint of hypocrisy. If unflinching honesty was what you wanted, Imran was your man.
No longer. The man who loved to denounce every politician around as a lackey for the Americans or a stooge of the military has now invited into his fold people who would genuinely fit both categories. Dissatisfied members of the PML-Q Likeminded, who were not happy with their leadership offering their support to the PML-N, have now allied with PTI. This dissident group within a dissident group is filled with just the type of careerist politicians whom Imran lived to skewer.
It is now up to Imran Khan to offer convincing explanations for why he has welcomed Gohar Ayub Khan, a lota of the first order who not only left former prime minister Nawaz Sharif to ally himself with the dictator Musharraf but is the son of a dictator himself. This is just one example. Every PML-Q member who has now allied himself with Imran could serve as a model of all that the PTI exists to repudiate. For true believers, this should be a deal-breaking betrayal.
Now that the raison d’etre of Imran Khan’s political career — that he is the one man who will never compromise his ideals — has proven to be hollow, will his internet jihadis quietly slink back to their crevices? Hardly likely. You could pen their defences of the PTI in advance. It would go something like this: Imran Khan knows that to get power and transform politics in the country he has to ally himself with the same old politicians because they have constituencies that will transform into National Assembly seats. He has to make a deal with the devil to allow his true angelic self to spread its message of peace and honesty.
The funny thing is that we heard this exact defence in the recent past. Another warrior who had dedicated himself to rooting out corruption used these same words to justify his alliance with the likes of the Chaudhry brothers and other politicians with less than stellar reputations. Who would have thought Imran Khan had so much in common with Pervez Musharraf?
Published in The Express Tribune, October 21st, 2011.
COMMENTS (76)
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This author reminds me of the song " Kaheen pe nigahen kahin pe nishana"
May be true or may not be true. But treating characters as entirely black or entirely white in fact gives the opposite impression. For a coloured photograph is made from the negative.
booooooooooooooooo boooooooooooooooo !
the way people defend imran shows how frustrated and hopeless they are with the leaders we have! they've all betrayed us. why not give him a chance!? we have nothing to lose now! we've hit rock bottom already. now the only way back is up. or we could just stay the way we are which is what i see happening if nawaz,altaf or zardari stay in power.
imran khan has not denied it, and people from pml q have joined pti. all the arguments 'in defence of our idol' which the writer put forward are true.. but please mr nadir hussain, leave your sarcasm asid for a second, and please propose an alternative.. how can honest and capable politicians make a difference and bring about change? if any alliances or politically astute moves which might ensure they come in power and be in a position to bring about a change make them shrewd and corrupt and comparable to the likes of pervez musharraf whereas if they do not, then they are rigid and uncompromising and without any political sense. seriously, please we all become critics when we have to but as a 'journalist', please propose alternative solutions, what you think would be the right startegy for imran khan. awaiting your speedy response.
For a nation like us,with one of the highest illiteracy rates n even those who are educated are insane, I think even if u opt for an Honest dictator like imran is not a bad option in the present scenario. Just think how long will this nation wait for a miracle, it's time for a change, it's time to take a step n imran is a hope for all. Politics is not a child's game, so alliance with others is a need of time n it doesn't reflect that they have similar ideology. Imrans leadership qualities and honesty is under no doubt, so let's give him a chance and don't spread negativity about a change, hopefully a better one.
@supporters of Imran Khan: Grow up and get real! Imran Khan is not a demigod and it's not necessary to threaten everybody who says something against him. And just be careful what you wish for. You might get more than you ever bargained for!
Looking at any possible example of his hypocrisy (for example, the fact that he is a millionaire who can't be bothered to pay the rent for his own party's headquarters in Islamabad!) is a small issue.
What we SHOULD look at are his statements, and his ideology.
And most of the defensive comments here by his fans and supporters only prove what the writer was saying in the first paragraph. Apparently, Imran Khan is a saint, everything he says is true, and he can do no wrong. Kind of makes it difficult to criticize him then, not matter how reasonable the the critique is.
@Author
"If unflinching honesty was what you wanted, Imran was your man."
There are politicians who are honest and make a policy with honest intentions but it fails and they get politically destroyed in next elections (generally case in most western democracies), then there are politicians who do not make any policy with honest intentions, every policy or move is with an intention to consolidate power and gain more monetary benefit (like our country and most other third world dysfunctional democracies),
So under these circumstances I happily take “UNFLINCHING HONESTY”
PS . Your (Miss)information about contact with PML-Q dissidents is incorrect.
@kamran
Considering the number of 'Recommends', i think majority took it seriously. Well to clarify, it was sarcasm.
He was a good captain. I like his hospital too.
@Suhail Abdul Rehman Chougule: for supporters like u have lead these writers against the PTI...for God's sake keep a standard and support him with the patience to hear words against him...we have to prove that we r different ppl...the supporters of IK are educated class who sanely will to vote FOR him and will prove that iA their choice was the best choice of all times.
The argument breaks down when.. being "the son of a dictator" logic was presented..
The bottom line is that he's the only hope
Jiye Imran is the slogan of the youth wait till he takes all this corrupt system down
Long Live IK
The way Imran Khan's people react reminds me of the movie Matrix and those infamous, attacking sentinels, "here they come" and they came in the droves destroying everything human.
@ahsan: Imran khan is a very dangerous experiment which our youth want to perform to run a country
@faraz: There is difference between to run a country and antivirus
PTI is targeting individuals who have kept themselves clean in politics. They might not be angels but will be of a better lot. There may be some corrupt ones who CREEP in since PTI does not have a NAB to investigate corruption against anyone. But that does not mean they'll get tickets as soon as they join PTI. As promised by the Chairman, there will be a parliamentary board who will use more stringent checks to give anyone the party ticket. And he's also promised that most of PTI parliamentarians will be from the youth and will represent CHANGE. But there are about 1000 tickets to give, and some will be from the old lot, but those who don't have any blot on them for instance Mian Azhar.
So I would like everyone to hold on your judgement on Imran Khan's team till they announce party tickets because that would show whether PTI represents CHANGE or has most of the old lot of corrupt politicians.
P.S. There are some politicians who have made politics corrupt, specifically the top leadership. Then there are others who are stuck in their parties, some who are forced to do this. Corruption has reached alarming proportions in our society and we have to make allowances for those who have been forced by the system to become corrupt, just as we are sometimes forced to bribe policemen to get our legitimate work done.
@Observer:
Huh?
Musharraf is the best. We want Musharraf back to power, who has the ability to fight against extremists, which is the most serious issue that Pakistan at present is faced with.
Thank you! This was a treat to read, bang on in every way. You just left out his hypocrisy In projection of Islamic ideology in comparison with his own lifestyle, or activities, but that's alright. This will do, this will definitely do!
If any of the news items is true then your criticism is valid and we also demand answers from PTI. However, if the news related to PMLQ and Musharraf is proved wrong then will you eat humble pie??
Did imran khan sell his all property and spend in pakistan? What programme he got for future of pakistan?? only bid words Did imran khan win all his cricket matches? Did imran win world cup with his sole performance? Did imran back ground is scandalless? Did he Controll corruption in his team during his tenure in cricket? What team he got for the running the government?
@Meekal Ahmed: . . . did someone say arrogance? You reek of it!
Imran Khan may do well if given a chance. Like most politicians that are taken seriously for the highest post...he has to be vetted. His policies on talking with terrorist are misguided and will not work...unless i.e. you don’t care about educating your daughters. Instead of surrounding himself with men with multiple degrees and titles after their names (Most Physicians/Dentist and Engineers know very little about strategic management, economics and running billion dollar corporations...would be nice to have proven track records in world class institutions and industries (Proven technocrats...world class) Mind you the present leadership (PPP) and PML-N are not much to talk about in terms of vision or strategy to bring Pakistan to a respected position. It is important to be able to maturely take criticism and intelligently argue your points...rather than get upset and vent in all directions. Accept he has weaknesses that he has to work on. Imran Khan may well win ...and may he do very well for the sake of all Pakistanis.
i am no PTI suppoter or a political khan fan, but the article was pointless and lame..what was the agenda?
All of us lets vote for PPP again because Mr. Zardari is the most capable, honest, hardworking and compassionate leader we have ever had. During his era Pakistan has risen to new heights of economic development. The menace of terrorism has been controlled and Karachi is a symbol of peace and tranquility. The nation has achieved 100% literacy and people are lining up in America to get Pakistani Visas so that they can work here.With the help of capable leadership of Nawaz Sharif and Altaf Hussien they have made Pakistan a superpower and the whole world bows down to it. Am I right Mr. Author?
Conclusions from the article 1. The author dont believe in democracy, because Ik is not an angel but the available best option. 2. How about the right of insafians to defend their leader. 3. The author writings are not a holy scripture so every one has the right to defend. 4. The article would have been more balanced if you said somethong about other parties. next time prove to us that he is not the current best. (Moderator please publish my comment)
Kindly please do NOT dictate us ... this is very strange that now writers are directly attacking the supporters of a certain political party to demoralize them. This is the freedom of expression...if you have a right to express your feeling regarding the supporters/voters of a particular party then for god sake embrace their response open-heartedly. Thank's to electronic media that public can analyze writer's analysis. So kindly stop this unnecessary criticism on Imran Khan...He is the best choice form the available options thus, we have to trust on his leadership skills. I wish IK Best of Luck!!! PTI workers please DO NOT demoralized by these tactics there is a Huge support for ur party here in USA. May Allah Help Us (Amen)!!
the column is based on the news coupled with confusion and lies and no one has owned the news yet. and here is the other side of the picture http://www.pakistantoday.com.pk/2011/02/coalition-with-pml-q-out-of-question-nawaz/
Another E.T. columnist/blogger. spewing his/her hatred towards Imran Khan and not offering a better alternative than him. What a shame!
If he is inexperienced in Politics, he is also inexperienced in corruption, unlike Zardari or Nawaz Sharif.
PMLn sits with PPP- strengthening democracy PMLn+PMLq join hands - Good for Muslim League and right wing PMLq unification joins with PMLn - No problem MQM < JI, JUI and ANP join any of the above - There is no grey area in Politics
Now if someone resigns from any of the above and there is no corruption case him/her to date then people start crying like the author.
Nawaz Sharif and Bhutto all worked with dictators for years and became angels for many in media, on the other hand rumors like the Gohar Ayub Khan become the only news to criticse some like great Imran Khan.
Long live Imran Khan
The youth of Pakistan is with yyou to do the accountability of all from swiss accounts to park lane properties.
Immy K, Jimran Khan, Tehreek e Imran etc.
Many names of one man whose burger fanboys and deep state sponsors are counting on to keep status quo.
Sure, he has political inexpertise, and other factors, but in the light of other politicians, we evidently don't have a option. I could atleast expect him to stop curroption. Which would be a big step. We need to get our priorities right, and VOTE FOR IMRAN KHAN!
Imran K is just a modern version of Jamat e Islami; to see this, look at his works like Ghayoor Pathan and his History of Pakistan... greatest pity is that he never admit that Taliban are fundamentalist... he always blame their existence as a reaction to US Afghan attack and Waziristan operations by Pak Army. These events may have accelerated the process but it is a fact that Sufi Muhammad and his follwers were making attempts to implement sharia in Swat wel in 1990s. Secondly, many madrassahs in Pakistan like Fazl ur Rahmans madrassah and teachings of many Pak Ulema like Maulana Madoodi has actually provide the ideoligical basis to Alquaida and Taliban and their Jihad. Why no Imran Kahn is ignorant of these? Similarly, many radicalized laws have been formulated during Zia ira in 1980s when our society has turned into a half radicalized,,, now almost 80 percent :(
@Salman Orangiwala: Sounds like you and Nadir Hassan don't want to lift a finger to improve the cess pit Pakistan has become. If you want your children to suffer as you have because you think it is their birth right, well, maybe you got it coming. Imran not only dares to dream of Pakistan becoming a nation of decent law abiding united people, he is actually walking the talk. So please take your negativity and bury it somewhere deep. There is work to be done and you are not helping.
a very one sided article dont u think? i thght journalists were supposed to give both sides of the picture and let the people judge on their own? anyway.. in a country where ever a guy selling fruit is corrupt to some degree how can we expect the so called intellectuals of the society to be doing their job rather than always highlighting the negative aspect of anything they think will catch the fancy of the masses....
The strange thing is that based on a news report citing "unidentified sources", you decide to bash him. You should wait for the news to be confirmed and only then put up this criticism. To my knowledge, IK has not forged alliance with ANY political party so far publicly. So why did you need to let go of your objectivity and pass premature judgements as a journalist, i just fail to understand. I can see how badly some people want to bash him, and the pity is he is just not giving them any chance... Too bad, you still cant call him corrupt on the basis of an unconfirmed news..
I have a problem with your logic. Firstly no like minded has yet joined PTI and still you consider them to be compromising on their principles by accepting these politicians. Wouldn't it be better if you give your reasoning AFTER any of these politicians join PTI and not before because every time it turns out to be mere propaganda. Secondly you have problem with Gohar Ayub Khan not because of who he is but because he was a son of a dictator. So now you blame someone for something that his father has done. Wrong reasoning again.
Deep state needs a new face and all old stooges of establishment are gathering around Khan, be it Mian of Lahore or Khan of Haripur they are all the same rotten lot which has played havoc with this land of the pure again and again.
@ AMI
and he has the RIGHT to CALL you JIHADI!
Well, Sir, you have stirred the proverbial hornets nest and comments are going to explode. Some good one's, mostly bad.
I don't know him very well even if we were in university together but the one thing about him that I did not like was his arrogance. He HATED the toiling, sweaty masses. He loathed them and looked down on them. That should hardly surprise for someone who came from a rich background and felt he was special.
And he is the next Hazrat-e-Awam?
Pakistan is not some experiment that everyone should be "given a chance". We have been giving "chances" to everyone for more than six decades. Time is running out. We need to get things done.
All said and done, let him contest the next elections. With his pro-Taliban leanings (a bit of a cruel joke considering the life he has led) and Deep State connections, he may or may not win. If he does, fine. Let him "eliminate" corruption in the first 100 days and given his rabid anti-west posture (which I think is faked), let him tax the rich and rid us of the meddlesome IMF and the other multi-laterals.
Come to think of it, I can hardly wait.
The problem is that why cant we see same type of articles targeting Nawaz sharref and Zardari personally..why suddenly as soon as Imran khan and PTI's poluarity started to go up we are seeing such articles..where were you before 4 to months ago..why only when the graph of Imran khan and PTI is going up all this has started...not hard to understand it is all the marketing and propaganda tactics of status co parties..why dont you write about the scare of PML N from PTI who are pushing every effort to fail the Lahore jalsa..why dont you write articles about nawaz sharef's politics who for the sack of there Punjab government the become a friendly opposition...what about the lootas from PML q joining PML N..what about Q league memebers of musharaf regime who are open handidly accepted by PML N now..why cant you guys see all this..why only PTI and Imran khan is of so much focus and pain for all of you..Because Imran khan and PTI is a threat to stauts coo and there are thousand and hundreds of people enjoying because of this status co..Instead you should praise a person like Imran khan who only for the sake of this country came into politics and wants to change the system..
Pervez Musharraf is a slave that some here were ok with. Teh funny thing is this hatred stems at Imran Khan's vision to rid the country of the slave attitude which these liberal extremists seem to want to continue. Truth be told many here were OK with Musharrafs subservience to the West. No complains. Suddenly, a man comes along and says hell no, all these liberal extremists (who are in a minority, really rest of Pakistan and the region do not have these views, and that is why they resort to writing articles to express their frustration) go crazy.
Yes, the era of subservience to foreigners is reaching its endpoint. No need to cry.
Iran has done mighty well without any association whatsoever.
I am impressed by your "far-reaching" vision & political wisdom. Why dont you, using your "skills", and snatch the chairmanship of PTI from IK, so that Gohar Ayub Khan and other like minded may be denied PTI tickets?
@author
Um, excuse me but the liberal extremist media have still failed to find anything bad about Imran Khan. While there exists troves of dirty laundry on nearly every other Pakistani politician (which funny enough it appears the liberal extremist media seems to A OK with), but there is next to nothing about Imran Khan.
So the question you should ponder over and over is why can you not find anything on Imran Khan?
Imran Khan wants to clean out corruption. Is this not good? Imran Khan wants to cut or downgrade ties with the US to a minimum. He has said he will end cooperation in the so-called war on terror. Imran Khan for Pakistan is what Mossadeq was for Iran.
His victory is a given because people are fed up with crooks and slaves in power who seem to be more the Ambassadors of the foreign countries than the representative leaders of Pakistan.
"Legions of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaaf (PTI) online warriors stalk the internet ready to defend their Kaptaan from any and all charges."Nice to know that journalists feel the presence of a well prepared and politically motivated support for Imran Khan. What I don't understand is why you keep on mocking your online readers when you yourself are publishing this article in a well established online news service that is probably Facebook's morning newspaper.
Apparently it is not only us, 'the online warriors', I believe every single Pakistani laborer who knows about Imran's dedication to his countrymen can rebut most of your arguments with a single sigh of frustration.
The bottom line: if you call us, we will be there for you. Face it Nadir.
Atleast he will bring change to Pakistan. Nawaz Sharif will follow the same policies of Asif Ali Zardari. Steal from Pakistan's treasury, make expensive trips abroad, and follow each and every demand of America until Pakistan is no more on the world map.
wait and see you will find all your answers in coming days. we believe in our leader.
Nadir,
This is the single most coherent and objective piece written about Mr Taliban Khan (aka chairperson Tehreek-e-Imran). Thank you. Please keep such pieces coming.
Allegations about alliance with PML Q likeminded group are not true. Why do these so-called journalists insult the intelligence of youth of this country. We (Youth of Pakistan) have decided that Imran Khan is our only choice. Next time you criticise Imran Khan Please guide us about who should we support If not PTI? Give us an alternative.. PLEASE!!
And yes I am a die-hard supporter of PTI.. But No, I do not support "deals with the devil" to come into power.
so is non corrupt writer willing to team "Imran Khan" to help him get rid of corrupt political ppl? Actually all Pakistani ppl sit in house and talk about corruption but no body is willing to get in replace any corrupt politation.
In News Night With Talat, the anchor asked Imran to make some alliance with electables otherwise PTI does not stand a chance. Now this gentle man wants IK not to do so. I wonder do these people, whom we call the intellectuals, have any standard to follow? If IK keeps on following the journalists, they will lead him to nowhere.
To this uninformed writer:
http://www.pakistantoday.com.pk/2011/10/no-alliance-with-apml-pml-q-likeminded-pti/
Has there been any official PTI notification of what you guys are presenting as foregone conclusions? Try visiting Insaf.pk. The rejection of this 'placed' news has been there for two days now.
Also, you can't please every one. On one hand you tell us that PTI does not have big names, and on the other hand you tell us that having old guard join PTI is a betrayal. It sure is if these people are corrupt, do not pay taxes and can not declare assets.
Well dont say a single word on IK as you have known the consequences of saying anything about respected man ( Remember Salman Taseer's End ) be ready to meet your destiny. You are the group who are creating doubts in the mind of people and you will have the same.
It has become cool to write about Imran Khan. I, believe, simply because everyone like me wants to read about the most talked about politician in Pakistan. I read this article not because I want to know more about Nadir Hassan but because it relates to Imran Khan. So, I believe, if a writer wants to be read he /she writes about IK.
Imran Khan, like all of us humans, is not god and could never be. He has and will make mistakes as we all do. However, the writer seems to give the impression that IK has some fanatic fans on the net and thus writing anything against IK will lead to hate mail against the author.
I believe that he deserves a chance and could well be the PM in making. Worst case scenario he will let us down as well!
nadir hassan people like you cannot stop the tsunami of insafians. and by the way who do you think will take pakistan to next level, is it zardari, nawaz sharif, altaf hussain or asfand yar wali.imran khan is the best available alternative, who has something to offer..and the people you are writing for will keep sucking the blood of my beautiful country.
"Imran's legion of Net warriors " lolzzzzzzzzzzzz aptly described . BTW , the comparative drawn with Caligula Caesar is once again , the best descriptive narration Imran the 'Kaput"an Khan could best be described as .Kudos .
What kind of information you have. READ the Newspaper for God's sake! Imran Khan has denied this news and said that NO ALLIANCE WITH PML-Q LIKE MINDED group!! And who are you to saying us "Jihadis"?? DONT STOP us to USE our right to express our opinions!! We have a RIGHT to disagree with YOU!!!!
Don't lie dude....... PTI has denied that any PML-Q faction is joining PTI....
What's the problem with the writer???? Cant we have a right to express our opinions?? What's your problem if we support Imran Khan? Due get yourself our from Imranphobia??
As far as I know, Imran Khan is atleast better than all other political leaders. Everyone has the right to say any thing about every one.
What happened to objectivity?
Khan sahib and his fans should be careful. He is a boy scout and an amateur in a world where even Colonel Imam was executed by his own spiritual children. Khan sahib may think he will be fine because he is on "their side", but they are demanding friends...if he really does become the next front-man of the deep state, the happy days may not last too long. Given his great work as cricket captain and philanthropist, I sincerely pray that he gets out to London in one piece and gets to spend his exile as an Islamic version of Tariq Ali...or that he stays a harmless political gadfly, keeping the burger-jihadi class entertained on the internet. Anything more and he may find himself selected for "offering the ultimate sacrifice"..
@ET: Disappointed that you would take the title of the best Start Trek film, ever, and associate it with Immy K!
A commoner cannot understand the greatness of Khan. By making an alliance with corrupt politicians, Khan will penetrate their networks acting like a Trojan horse and break them from inside.