By now, almost all Pakistanis must have heard about the political hurricane that swept Lahore, when the charismatic 59-year-old justice party leader Imran Khan wooed over a hundred thousand people who had come from far and wide to listen to him. Standing tall, he delivered the kind of message that the audience had been longing to hear. What the country desperately needs is honest leadership. The size of the turnout and his hard-hitting speech stunned his opponents and sent shockwaves through the moribund political system.
The address predictably gravitated towards those bullet points that have formed the basis of his manifesto, which he bluntly and remorselessly ticked off — accountability, the urgent need for politicians to declare their assets, protection of minorities and women, an independent foreign policy and the urgent need for change. In short, what the country needs is a political revolution. The diatribe was laced with hard-hitting statements such as that it is time the CIA put a stop to drone attacks and it is time we stopped going around the world with a begging bowl. His speech has probably nicked the collective nerve of the Americans and the British, but the audience relished the attacks.
Now that the euphoria has subsided somewhat, one hears the odd squeak of criticism. Making promises is one thing, translating rhetoric into reality is quite another. Huge turnouts are all very well, but there is really no correlation between the size of the crowd and the success of the party at the election. Most of the blokes who turned up to cheer the voice of the future are the types that in the past have been assiduously avoiding the ballet box. Even though he has spread his tentacles into the north, Imran Khan’s real power base is central Punjab. He has little presence in southern Punjab, Sindh and Balochistan. By doing what he did, the PTI chief has greatly increased the PPP’s chances of success. Zardari and Gilani must be gloating over the ex-cricketer’s success on the home turf of Nawaz Sharif…
The point that the cynics are missing is that the people are so fed up with the corruption, inefficiency, indecision and ineptitude of past governments that they would welcome any change. Take for instance the case of the gas pipeline from Iran. One fine morning, after somebody must have whispered into Mr Gilani’s ear that the people of Lahore had spent the previous winter without proper heating because there was no gas available, he stridently announced that the country would sign an agreement with Iran, because it was in the country’s interest. The Americans convinced him that it was not, and that Pakistan should meet the shortfall through a pipeline from Central Asia which ran through war-torn Afghanistan at three times the cost. The records are littered with other examples of indecisiveness and vacillation on the part of the PPP government.
Imran Khan is about the only Pakistani politician that is yet untried and untested. It’s time the nation gave him a chance. The fact that after skirting on the fringe of the political hinterland for so many years he could make such a huge impact says a great deal about the person. He is scrupulously honest, has a clean record and a lot of administrative ability. In choosing his team, he must be careful not to acquire turncoats like Shah Mahmood Qureshi who torpedoed the second reading of Dr Donya Aziz’s bill, which aimed to remove some of the injustices meted out to Pakistani women.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 13th, 2011.
COMMENTS (37)
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"make terrorists inactive and look after the general progress of Pak"?!
too many views are there on this article.
Imran Khan visits India off and on and every time he is interviewed by Indian Media.
The last interviewer is Mr Karan Thapar of IBN7. I viewed it.
There is a great change in the mindset of Mr Imran Khan and seems he has boosted and encouraged himself after delivering speech at Lahore. He says he will make the terrorists inactive and will look after the general progress of Pak.
Best wishes for Best of Pak and Imran..
@Syed Hussein El-Edroos:
That is what I said, did I not? He needs to have a credible and implementable plan of action. Sound-bites won't do. He still has time even if you consider he has been at it for 15 years and by now should have a very clear-cut program/manifesto. I don't see one -- certainly not on the economics side.
That is my concern. He may be a good person with a heart in the right place. But that will not cut it.
@Meekal Ahmed: If I have to make a choice between the known (present politicians) and the unknown (Imran Khan), I would go for Imran Khan. Keep in mind that an actor (Ronald Regean) became the Governor of California and later a two term President of the US.
If Imran selects a good team, they will be the ones to get the machinery of government going. Of course he has to select the right persons.
The whole of Pakistan testifies to the fact that PMLN PPP MQM ANP are riddled with corruption, filling their pockets and eating Pakistan.
And everyone also testifies, foes, friends, supporters and haters alike, that Imran is an honest man.
this is enough at least in the present times to choose our leaders where we have only talked of choosing the lesser of the evils. Imran Khan is an honest man.
It's is great that We all supporting Imran Khan, But we have only one day to change.. that is the Voting Day... Be brave to cast your vote and also motivate your family and friends and cast their votes... Obviously he is captain of the team, so final decision has to be taken by him... Because he is responsible for all goods and bads done by Tehreek e Insaf.emphasized text**
imran khan is my glorious hero!!!!!!!!!
@MarkH: one person at the helm can change an entire society. Congress in idia duringh Gandhis was known to be autocratic...indira gandhi tolerated no contest to her decisions but put india and write track. but it was rajiv gandhi who put india on global economic powrhouse club through his own vision in developing information technology. he died early but his efforts did wonders and ondia is reaping the fyuit of a single visionry. @Vicram Singh: @zalim singh: the passimist will never learn...what if IK dies ...ur question is foolish.
@ Mohammad Assad, the correct word is troll!!!!!
Over-population is the major reason for our failure to succeed. Will he tell Pakistanis to limit the number of their children to two? I doubt it.
One totally agrees with Anwer Mooraj.Please keep writing.
Do consider the eventuality that even Imran is unable to deliver.
what if he fails?
Another idol for Muslim worshippers in Pakistan! If Imran Khan or any one person is last hope for Pakistan then we are in real trouble.
We have seen the rest, it is time to give Imran Khan a chance to do his best.
Pack of lies from a representative of mummy daddy community.
feel sorry for those who actually feel that politicians are the real criminals.. ever wondered from where our major decisions taken? whatever happens in this land is done with the consent of GHQ!!!
Every topic on Imran Khan, Mr Nadir is always the first to comment.
we love Imran khan we trust Imran Khan and we will bring imran khan In-Sha-ALLAH
The cynics have no solution. If not Imran Khan and PTI then who. We have tested the leadership of other parties, now its Imran Khan turn.
Please can anyone cite a proof regarding his alleged links with ISI and army? Why all of a sudden rumors and accusations have become truth for his opponents? What is the source? People love to believe in heresy and spread it like fire. I am disappointed by such outrageous claims, One can disagree with his stance, policies or anything but just accusing someone as army stooge or anything is uncalled for...
Imran is the only educated, sincere, clean and sensible politician! Period!
@Nadir. He did what any MNA could do in his capacity without breaking the law. He sat in the opposition and protested against Musharraf even though it is a widespread rumour that Musharraf offered him the PM chair. And in that perspective IK is tried and tested. He's been in politics long enough and people who question his experience should know that it is not really uncommon for someone who has never been a PM or a president to become one. All that matters is IK brings to the table education, moral values (in that he is highly educated and has a true sense of moral value), patriotism and a true desire to better the lives of all Pakistanis and not just his.
Despite the anti-IK rhetoric, people of the current political establishment have little to show. No one knows their policies, they've failed at everything they've tried, and thankfully people have seen what a ppp gov't entails, and it ain't pretty.
IK offers a cogent approach for positive change.
what a weird logic. He is not 'tested' so nation should give him a chance. Alas Mr. Writer, its not hide a bakra that can be given in charity so easily.
Imran Khan's tsunami will sweep away this ragtag mentality inshallah
Anwar Sahib,
Can we afford anyone another or a first chance? Is Pakistan a testing ground for the naive and ininitiated in the hope that he/she might prove to be a good leader and do some good?
I don't think that is a strong argument. Imran Khan should win if he has substance and a solid, credible and implementable manifesto/program. He has none of those things.
Anyway, it will be interesting to watch how political events unfold over the next 6-10 months -- with the economy being the first casualty as attention shifts elsewhere.
But what will be especially interesting is to see the same old crooks and tax-cheats, discarded and unwanted, devoid of brains and brawn, join the PTI so as to strengthen it's "base"! After all, IK did say he was going to put up 1,000 candidates.
If he's your only hope, then it's hopeless. Because it can't be a true one man show and succeed. Even his supporters more or less rely on him alone. Just because people vote 'yes' for him, there's still 179,999,999 people not doing anything but waiting for someone else to do something.
If honest is all you're going for, everyone should be worshipping his critics right along side of him instead of trolling them.
Being fed up with dishonesty? Join the worldwide club.
@Nadir Imarn had only one seat and he wasn't the president at that time...1 seat in parliamentary system doesn't matter...real change will come when he will form his own government and then you can criticize him...
We want change and only Imran Khan PTI will bring positive change. H eis an honest, brave and respectable leader.
Other Old family business polititions can't bring any change that has already been proven in last 63 years. They just want status quo and only enjoy their status.
We support Imran Khan completely.
Only in Pakistan we choose "untried and untested" when going through most tricky of times, the times that may bore to heavy a weight even on most experienced of the politicians. Bravo. People don't want ANY change. People want positive change, and PTI is not heading us there.
The argument that Imran should be given a chance because he is untried used to make sense to me until he took on the Army/ISI as his official sponsor. He is untested, but the agenda of his sponsor is not. In fact we have been following that agenda now for 53 years. And the results are in front of us. The real break Pakistan needs is a break from the Army agenda, in other words civilian supremacy. As much as I hate to say it, at this time only one major candidate is promising that: Nawaz Sharif.
This narrative that is being perpetuated that Imran Khan is untested and untried is false. He was elected MNA in 2003 and what were his legislative achievements or efforts? PTI supporters love to say how even one honest person can change the system. When he was a MNA what did he do or try to do?