Adil Najam
Well, not really.
Headlines like that were in rage today and referred to the fact that Imran Khan and Jemima, now divorced, appeared together in a protest outside 10 Downing Street, London, where Gen. Pervaiz Musharraf was meeting British Prime Minister Gordon Brown. According to The News:
The high profile divorced couple stood side by side in front of the prime minister’s office for some time, where a large number of overseas Pakistanis had gathered to protest the arrival of Musharraf in London and his “anti-democratic†steps in Pakistan.
Many believe here that this was one of the biggest rallies of overseas Pakistanis in the recent days who had gathered to protest against Musharraf’s policies. The protesters kept on chanting slogans against Musharraf for more than two hours without any break. The intensity of the slogans was so powerful that these could be heard from a long distance. The PPP and PML-N activists were also present there in a large number.
The news about the protest had many interesting aspects, but pictures of the event including this one have me thinking about something else. Notice what you see in the picture. The eye gravitates, of course, to the now-divorced couple. However, you also see a person carrying a portrait of assasinated former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto. In the background are flags of the Jamaat-i-Islami. You also see a flicker of a PPP flag. Not in this picture but also in the rally were flags and supporters of the PPP and of the PML-N.
Unlikely comrades. But united for a cause. The picture should be seen as yet more testimony to just how deep and widespread the opposition to the Musharraf government has become. Maybe, just maybe, Gen. Musarraf can unite the usually bickering opposition forces in Pakistan after all. It is, after all, not an easy task to bring people with such certifiably “irreconcilable differences” – such as Imran Khan and Jemima, but also recall the strong words that Jemima and Imran have had to say about Benazir – together.
They say only advesity can make Pakistanis united and the later part of Mr. Musharraf’s regime in itself has been an adversity resultantly Mush’s become an adversary for all the democratic forces. Thanks Mush, for being a catalyst of this unity.
I do hope that unity is here to stay ! So perhaps Musharraf should stay in power just long enough to get this couple reunited !
The picture is indeed striking. We Pakistanis disagree about a lot of things sometimes everything, but I do not know of a single person that can any more seriously support Musharraf without losing all shreds of self respect. The picture shows how even those who disagree on other things agree that it is time for Musharraf to go!
the obvious irony of irreconcilable differences extends beyond imran and jemima
PTI and PPP
PTI and PML (chose your alphabet)
PTI and Mushy
PTI and …….Us as in we the people!
While we clamour for all the right causes – free and fair and now transparent elections, restoration of the judiciary, law and order and ata and ghee prices etc. we are not willing to elect an honest politicians when the times comes.
Imran had ONE seat last time!
Perhaps that is our dilemma and our tragedy?
Its Really a nice News, May be this is the beginning of a journey which may lead to a Successful personal life of Imran Khan, Again. Isnt it?