Irreconcilable Differences: Imran Khan and Jemima Reunited

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.