Nowadays, there has been a lot of buzz about change
or a revolution in the country, especially after Imran Khan’s heroics at
Minar-e-Pakistan in Lahore. The evening of 30th October changed much in
Pakistan. People have started to take Imran Khan seriously and he is
now considered as third option in Pakistani politics.Editorials, TV talk
shows, street corners and even restaurant tables are having
deliberations about the future elections and many, in fact, most of the
urbanites have given Imran Khan a serious chance of winning the
forthcoming elections. Many label it as a change and many take it to the
extent of revolution. While we call the two mainstream political
parties as status-quo parties, Imran Khan is seen as anti-status quo.
Hats off to Imran Khan for giving Pakistani people once again a hope
which was very much lost after 18th February elections.
The word change or
revolution has become so much appealing to the masses that every
politician tries to package his content in the wrapper of change. Even
President Barack Obama used it as a slogan to run his campaign which
ultimately led him to the White House. I wonder if he goes again for
that slogan. I really believe if our consumable goods carry the tag-line
of change, it will become so much easy for them to sell their products.
The appeal of the word change to Pakistani masses is due to the
inefficiency and inability of all the political parties of Pakistan, as
they all have been tried and tested in one way or the other after 18th
February elections. Almost every participating party has stayed in
government and that has led to people’s disbelief in these parties. That
is the line where Imran Khan is bowling as he knows about the dynamics
of masses.It remains to be seen whether he will be able to conjure up
the required amount of seats in the National Assembly and deliver but we
can talk about his future performance and chances from what he has
already delivered to the nation in his speeches.
Recently I gave a
presentation on the chances of Imran Khan to my class fellows and what I
came across was an explosion of negative comments towards me from my
fellows as I labeled his chances as bleak. Some, who usually used to
call me sane and intelligent, even went to the extent of calling me
non-serious. I was expecting that from them and the same I expect from
his other supporters. I am not an Imran-Khan basher, it’s just I see
things from a realist angle.Many call Imran Khan as old wine in a new
bottle and after the people he is allowing to join his party, it is very
much clear that same old people will be our representatives. Imran Khan
wants to cleanse or even ‘dry-clean’ his candidates under his headship,
before giving them party ticket, but do the candidates want to get
cleansed? Will these new-inductees be able to don the attire of a noble
leader after enjoying the title of feudal in their own village? How
would he dry-clean Mian Azhar, who has already been tried and
tested?
Assuming if Imran Khan takes the hot seat this term, though it is
very difficult, there are some things that need to be answered.
Whatever Imran Khan said in Lahore are things that are mostly the words
of whole of Pakistan but somehow they does not align with the policies
of hidden hands in Pakistani set-up i.e. establishment. Every government
has to keep the desires of establishment and string-pullers’ desires in
view and that is where the question marks on his ability arise. He can
fulfil the promises he made to people in Lahore if he is the only
decision maker in the system. But governments are not solely run by the
elected people. There are always people who effect and manipulate the
decisions of people. Ask Barack Obama how he was forced to increase the
troops in Afghanistan by his own military establishment.
PTI wants to topple
the system and bring a change but change does not come from within the
system. It always comes from staying outside. You cannot bring a change
by climbing up the stairs and reaching the top and then abruptly
dismantling the whole system because you are the one who have climbed up
through this system and its downfall will lead to your own. To stay in
power you have to empower the foundations of that ladder rather than
dismounting the ladder.
Before Imran Khan comes to power, he may have to
answer these questions. History is witness that whenever the hopes of
masses are shattered, anarchy takes over and leads to a real revolution
which does not need ballot. Imran Khan is one of the best
philanthropists and the best leader in cricket, we ever had, and that
gives him an edge over all and perhaps that is well-deserved but as a
leader and a statesman, there is a big question mark that needs to be
removed prior to his taking of the helm. It is up to him, whether he
becomes a Mahathir Mohammad or a Barack Obama.
