I am sure many of ATP readers will be surprised to see this photograph in which former President Musharraf is saluting his most vocal critic Imran Khan.
Before you jump onto conclusions, let me tell you that this photograph is said to be taken during a fund raising event doe the Shaukat Khannum Memorial Hospital sometime in 2000-01. It was the time when Imran Khan’s PTI supported Musharraf and he was a reportedly hot favorite candidate for Prime Ministership.
Do you think the photograph is real? Imran Khan actually mentioned this one in many of his speeches in US recently. Watch the part of his speech after 4 minutes and 50 seconds in a video here. And if it is, what does it tell us about Gen. Musharraf. Or about Imran Khan.
Musharraf has a habit of saluting, he even does it these days, like in his last press conference. Its a lifelong habit.
Back in those days, Musharraf and Imran Khan were on good terms with each other. Thats all this photo shows.
The picture of BB and Nawaz sitting with each other, after the history of the 1990’s, and the picture of Imran Khan sitting with Qazi Hussain Ahmad, after getting a thrashing from IJT, tells us a lot more about those characters.
Where’s Musharraf’s right thigh? :s
It shows that Imran Khan the politician is far less than the sum of his parts… he may be a suave, erudite, articulate cricket star and philanthropist, but he is not a savvy politician… I recall the time right before the 2002 elections when he would appear on talk shows loudly praising Musharraf, and then, when it became clear that he wasn’t going to be the PM, he threw his lot in with the mullahs and cast his vote for Fazl-ur-Rehman in the PM elections in the National Assembly.
These days, he is essentially the human face of the Jamaat-e-Islami, helping to soften the JI’s image and leading impressionable young urbanites—- who know nothing of the political dynamics of Pakistan and repeat the trite all-politicians-are-thieves-we-need-new-leadership mantra ad nauseum— astray, and into the arms of the JI, with the kids not even realizing the ride they are being taken for…
It is good that he has found a home though… no matter how many beatings the Islami Jamiat-e-Tulba dish out to him, he will remain a Jamaatia at heart, his playboy past notwithstanding…
A touching photograph with 2 of Pakistan’s finest men. If only our elected leaders had 5% of the character of each of these, we’d be in a very different world. Hail to the General and the Great Khan!
Not surprising as it coule be the photo before Mush became Prez. Naturally Imran was a hero for the nation and a salaam to him is understandable.
Unfortunately, politics is such a dirty thing that anybody who plunges in, loses the respect.