Adil Najam
Flying in from London to Islamabad, I bumped into Imran Khan on the plane. There he was, sitting a couple of rows ahead of me, reading The News, with his own picture on its front page (meeting Nawaz Sharif in London). I had not yet seen the paper, nor followed that days events in London (I was flying in from Amsterdam where I had been in meetings all day). We exchanged a few pleasantries, said nice things about what we had been up to since we had last met in Chicago just about a year ago (I had reported in detail on that here).
I must say, I did not fully grasp everything he said until later after I landed in Islamabad and first saw his supporters and TV cameras lined up at the airport, and then every news channel covering his press conference in London, and its political implications. In our short conversation he pretty much covered the exact same points I saw him presenting on TV,with pretty much the same passion. I guess he had come fresh from the press conference. Since all of that is now in the news already, I will not repeat it. The one thing I did ask him about were rumors about his ‘patch up’ with the MQM leading to the lifting of the ban on his entry into Sindh. Readers would remember those rumors surfacing everywhere, including on ATP, a few days ago. He shrugged those away as nonsense and just rumors.
My own sense from this very brief discussion chat was that:
(a) he does seem very serious abut taking on MQM Chief Altaf Hussain,
(b) that he fully realizes the seriousness of what he is doing, and
(c) he seems to be doing this out of personal conviction much more than political opportunism.
I may turn out to be wrong, but my first impression was that the earnestness with which he spoke about what he was doing and why that cannot be easily faked. This, then, seems not to be a story that will fizzle away easily. Not if Imran can help it.
If this is, in fact, so then Pakistan politics will continue to become even more interesting than it already is. ‘Party’ politics may just come back into limelight, but not ways one had expected. If indeed there are to be elections in Pakistan soon then the impact of this tussle could go well beyond defining what happens to just Imran Khan and the MQM.
By the way, as it turned out it was an interesting PIA fight to be on. Interior Minister Aftab Sherpao boarded soon after me. As did Commerce Minister Humayun Akhtar Khan (returning, I believe from the WTO meeting in Geneva). They both greeted Imran graciously, and briefly, and then then nearly all of us made the best of the overnight flight by going off to sleep. Of course, I first watched the ‘Tribute to a Legend’ show on Pakistani filmstar Muhammad Ali on the PIA channel.
P.S. In case you wonder, no, I did not speak to either of the Ministers. I do not know either of them, and would not have known what to say anyhow, especially if either of them had seen my own most recent musings on the political happenings in Pakistan.
More or less we all agreed to 1 point that is Pakistan is in bad shape, well there are only two options for any sensible person, one is to do immigrate to some other country and let Pakistan continue on its path to destruction. The other option is to do something about improving the current situation. I will any day take the second option
So if one has decided to do something about the country then what should be the course of action. Well one option is to do charitable works, the other to enter politics. Entering politics seems a more direct and more effective means of improving the state of affairs since in that case one would have the resources of the state at disposal to improve the situtaion.
Of all the political parties right now Imran Khan(PTI) seems to be right and appropriate option left. Also I don’t think we have any other option considering the politics of the other parties.
It doesn’t matter that it wont be the forerunner in 2007, as long as it get even 10-20 seats I will be happy since it would be able to atleast have some weight on important issues. I would like to see PTI as a issues party meaning a party which decide to support or oppose the government differently on each issue rather than either being always with gov or against it.
At the end My personal request to everyone how long we see our country been destroyed,plundered by our Politics & Army Generals..it’ll be too late. We left politics to a group of corrupt individuals in our socities and closed our eyes like pigeons thinking if we cant see the cat, she wont see us and wont eat us. But she saw us and she’s about to eat us all. We should open our eyes and smell the reality. its now or neve
Anyways thats my opinion.
Allah Hafiz
I wish Imran Khan well and like him too.
So far, it seems he has a long way to go in politics. He entered politics almost eleven years ago and has managed so far only to win his own seat in the National Assembly and generate lots of publicity.
Lots of overseas Pakistanis and upper middle class Pakistanis seem to like him, as is obvious from blog postings in his favor. The question to ask is, why is he unable to make a breakthrough in the electorate back home?
The basic premise of democracy is that the people have a collective wisdom. They can sometimes make wrong choices and, over time, correct them, on their own.
Many of us do not seem to recognize the concept of the people’s collective wisdom and insist on our own preferences being an expression of what is right.
If Imran and his supporters can figure out why the people have so far refused to vote for him, they might be able to work out a better political strategy for the future.
The Pakistani blogosphere, too, needs to rethink its entire approach to politics. Why is it that leaders whom the bloggers seem to despise still remain major players in the real world of Pakistani politics?
Although Imran is one of the most outspoken supporters of the Chief Justice, why do PPP flags outnumber Imran Khan’s PTI flags by 100 to 1 in the CJ’s rallies?
Why are Jamaat-e-Islami supporters (with JI flags) prominent at Imran Khan rallies and not the English-speaking, cricket-loving types represented here?
Answers to these questions, and not our well-meaning and enthusiastic “Imran is good” “Imran represents a new face to all of us tired of Nawaz Sharif and Benazir Bhutto,” will help Imran and all of us understand the collective wisdom of the people, and maybe enable us to change Pakistan’s politics over time.
Imran Khan is a great hope and he has been at the forefront of the CJP issue. He is not perfect, but no-one is. Can we as Pakistanis remember we have been the victims of ‘ Faujistan’ for too long hence our politicians and thus politicians of principle are rare. So lets support Imran in his endeavours knowing he can be wrong and right as can anyone else. We are currently witnessing a ‘ New Pakistan Movement’ which I hope will deliver an ‘ Other Pakistan’ – Watch out for Other Pakistan soon to be launching to provide a forum of debate for Pakistanis inside and outside of Pakistan so we can finally create the Quaid’s Pakistan.
Pakistan Zindabad
Wasim
First of all my hats off to AUK for that short para. I just want to re produce very important line from his para :-
“But our society marked by prejudice, hypocrisy, parochialism and opportunism is perhaps not ready for someone so pure. We keep questioning his intentions; keep trying to dig dirt on him”
Secondly to the question Sohail put on table ( though it was for everyone ) my answer is this :-
Over the last many years i have hardly miss any of his interview/debate or program on TV. I have seen all his interview & have observed a good fast conversion from innocent IMRAN (in politics) to sensible politicians who at least talks decently & conveys his point in comparatively more appropriate manner than any other, at least 10 times better than the lie ministers of MUSH. I can safely say that ( and to my own surprise who opposed him in 1996 when he joined politics) not only IMRAN on any day is a better man to be called a politician than any.
Can anyone bring one name among the rest of politicians who have one 1 percent of what IMRAN has done for this land?.
Forget his CRICKET. Just look at the way he is trying to build pakistan for poor & ignored. After Shaukat he is on his way to build NAMAL College/University & he plans to build a hospital in KARACHI after this. He has many other plans in mind (not disclosed yet). Just consider this & all other politicians fail flat.
What they did for Pakistan? Plunder, rob, kill people, terrorize opponents, act like a parasite on this nation, feed the feudal + ARMY thugs. What else?. Is there any single landmark these goons have achieved for this land ?
But i guess AUK is right. Imran is actually too pure, comparatively and thats why we keep on digging his personal life and all that.
We should be thankful to lawyers & media that there is a awakening for the first time. Its because of that people like IMRAN are in limelight now. And in order to eliminate corrupt people we sometime need to exaggerate the “little good” people ( Imran in this case).
Instead of thanking GOD that at least a man with reputation and honour entered a dirt ( in PAK ) like politics what we are doing is reminding him of his weak points & dragging his leg out of politics.
If IMRAN goes out of politics, do we honestly believe any chance of any other GOOD GUY joining politics in future ?
NASHUS SAID: “I think Imran has a larger than life image in Pakistan and his involvement in the dirty politics of this country will do neither him nor the country any good. We need more projects like Shaukat Khanum and his under completion college in Mianwalli than his wasting with Altaf Hussain, Benazir and Nawaz Sharif.”
I think that is a riduclulous thing to say. You guys love to beat up on ‘dirty politicians’ but then do not want anyone ‘clean’ to enter politics – perhaps because none of you would have the guts, the stamina and be able to withstand jail, exile, cases against you, harassment of your families etc JUST ASK THE CJ WHAT IT FEELS LIKE. So, although you get so hysterical when anyone acuuses you cricket loving drawing room wallahs of being unrealistic and totally removed from the reality of Pakistani politics – all that happens is 100 pf you will now jump down my throat and get abusive. Perhaps it is time for some self-examination and reflection. ZJAN