The prospect of a party head unable to control his own activists is rather worrying. PHOTO: NNI/ FILE
The point to be raised is this: should a political leader be making threats and issuing ultimatums at all? This does not seem either wise or mature. Also, if the PTI has not called protests, why are sit-ins being staged every day, notably in Lahore? Does Imran not have enough influence over those who back him to control their actions? If he does not, this raises all kinds of questions over his abilities as a leader. The prospect of a party head unable to control his own activists is rather worrying.
There is also a due process to follow. Re-polling has already been ordered by the ECP at around 40 polling stations in NA-250, given the obvious malpractices that took place. In other cases, tribunals are examining complaints made to them. They have 120 days to reach a verdict. Perhaps, the PTI should be waiting for this. It should also note that local and international monitors, including the Human Rights Commission Pakistan and the European Union monitoring team, have declared the 2013 polls free and fair. Given this, Imran should, perhaps, reconsider his position, avoid adopting a threatening tone and instead focus on the challenging task that now lies ahead for his party, which seems likely to head the government in K-P while also assuming the role of a key opposition at the centre.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 17th, 2013.
COMMENTS (22)
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Just when I thought ET couldn't sink any lower, ET surprises me yet again. What a load of rubbish and that too in an editorial.
Editorial is way off base. Peaceful protest is something that the Editor s/b encouraging - beats bombing and threats of violence every day. It's one of those "freedom of speech" things that journalist are suppose to promote.
It is ironic that IK and PTI show more confidence in Taliban than the independent judiciary and independent EC of Pakistan. Yet they contested elections with the greatest support of TTP and still do not accept the truth that within a handful of seats (IK says 5) they lost the elections. Even if they are handed over these 5 seats still the results would not change a lot. Another fact that comes out is PTI supporters like Mush's associates do not believe in democracy especially when they lose. They would rather not have democracy if they are going to lose.
Does Imran not have enough influence over those who back him to control their actions? If he does not, this raises all kinds of questions over his abilities as a leader.
This is just sloppy journalism. And sloppy thinking. ET is living in the past when the word 'Leader' carried with it connotation of an authoritative or a tyrannical sense. Democracy has changed that, thankfully. Democracy is not just participating on the Election Day to cast your vote, in fact it is most apparent when people exercise their political will. The autonomy of PTI supporters is witness to their sense of responsibility , realisation of a true liberal politics and commitment to the cause of progress.
The fact that Imran Khan has no desire to 'CONTROL' his party members initiatives reflects that he aims to do away with the conception of a Leader which can be applied to figures like Mullah Omar and Nawaz Sharif but instead wishes to introduce a more humble approach to leadership; one where leader acts on the general will and SERVE people rather than CONTROL them.
P.S. I am not a PTI supporter, but might become one day. Have some more thinking to do.
voter anonymity may rear its head
Dear ET Editors, you people are so dumb that you do not even know that the thumbprint is not on the part of the paper polled but the one left in the book. The idea is not to see who voted for whom but if the voters were genuine people and there were no multiple voting!
If this is democracy, then i prefer Kingdom
Apologies to the supporters of PTI and irrespectie of logic, language, coherence etc this makes a valid point regarding PTI's supporters and its leadership. Before today Imran Khan was a leader of an ideal world and supportters living mostly with ideal thoughts. Time has changed now. You all need to calm down and access whats at hand. Fine, there may be many issues of rigging but what do we expect from a broken democracy/machinary? Everything can't be changed over-night. You have got an opportunity in the form of KPK. Go ahead and show your guts. Moreover, the concerns this editorial have raised; IK not able to control his supporters and giving ultimatums to ECP, are real issues. How can be threatening a state institution by a head of a political party be 'democratic'? It can never be. Regarding supporters protesting without party leadership consent is a party issue and we would appreciate if they sought it out asap for the consolidation of democracy in our country. Long Live democracy, Long Live Pakistan!
An utterly biased editorial. Does the editor want to say that the rigging has been done only in those polling stations of NA-250, where the repoll are likely to be held? Or does he want to say that the rigging was not done at all? Why are you criticizing the actions of protesters who want change and witnessed with their own eyes the malpractices on the election day. Don't they have right to register their protest?
The language , antics and behavior of Imran Khan is similar to that of Narendra Modi ,the BJP leader .
A very sensible and sober editorial advise to PTI and IK. Thanks ET for making sense. The question to ask is, why PTI and IK are looking for 6 seats when they have gotten not only 3 dozen seats in NA? A few more seats for PTI and a few less for PML is not going to change anything between them. The advise to wait for tribunals to decide is sensible but it would take 120 days. The fact is even at its best hour PTI is behind PPP in NA seats. It cannot become even leader of opposition in NA.. Hence the sense of urgency for a handful of more seats is a matter of lifeline for PTI and IK. The media and PTI has already given the post of leader of opposition to IK and they would have to eat half a crow each.
Jewish backed Express Tribune trying to make a fool of the pakistani public.
You seem to have way too much confidence in the due process. A few weeks ago, you were discussing manifestos as if elections are being held in switzerland, as if voters are going on vote on manifestos, as if we can hold what parties say in manifestos to account. And now, after witnessing how irrelevant that discussion was, you are preaching this 'maturity', that in the past, has led to abominations like the NRO. It's time to be a little immature E.T., for the rights of the common man and for the country.
Fighting for rights of voters is immature? Shahbaz Sharif recently said in a statement, 'we should all move together towards the future, including MQM, pls forget his irresponsible statements'. Is this the type of maturity you're preaching?
ET, its clear now that you leave no stone unturned to make Nawaz happy. You never scrutanise this thoroughly when sharif brothers are involved. We thought that we had said goodbye to yellow journalism....
There is no independent press in Pakistan. Money & tilt of press are inseparably entwined. It will take at least 100 years before they understand the meanings of impartial & independent press.Press in Pakistan is corrupt,partial & YELLOW all the way.
Apologies but this looks like an article written by a new graduate. I understand the concerns mentioned in the article but there is an inherent bias in it too.
Rigging? What rigging? Never happened. Forget about it....lets move on. Is this really what you want people to think like? You dont think people should stand up for thier rights? Its not a matter of one seat or 25 or 125.....its the principle. If we dont stand up now...we will might lie down forever. If we let them get away with it without any protest now, we might as well rollover for the next 100 years.
Devoid of any logic, rationality, merit or common sense. People are expressing their grief on being deprived of their right to elect their representatives. Elections should not only be fair, they should also look fair. People have come out for the first time in such large numbers showing their trust in democracy; if they are not given satisfactory assurances that their votes have not been stolen then we will go back to the state of apathy and lack of care.
Does the ET want the people of Pakistan to become dumb robots at the beck and call of political leaders? Where anyone who does not toe the party line is threatened, cajoled or dispatched to their Maker?
I agree with @Taimur Malik that the spontaneity of the movement portends well for Pakistan's future, because it means that the citizenry is concerned about democratic practices in the country, rather than accept any extra-constitutional abuses.
Why do you print such non-sense? Leave IK alone now!
This is one of the most ridiculous and unabashedly anti-Imran editorials ever written by the ET. People who protested, did so for their democratic right because they perceived their right of universal adult franchise to have been snatched from them. This is exactly what a liberal democracy looks like. I think this is testament of the youth being imbued with the virtues of democracy, ratehr than being apathetic to the affairs of the Republic. Imran if anything should be praised for not leading a fascist party from another country, yet in the pages of these editorials I have never once seen such harsh words used against the mafia-like parties in Pakistan. This editorial is not just unduly harsh it makes a mockery of the Express Tribune's purported "liberalism".