Last Sunday, Imran Khan delivered another promise when his brainchild Namal College in Mianwali was inaugurated by the Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani. After Shaukat Khanum Memorial Hospital in Lahore, its yet another gift from the Great Khan for the people of Pakistan. Located alongside of famous Namal Lake, Namal College will have full support from University of Bradford UK which has also granted it Associate College status. Although Imran has been working on this project since 2002, strangely, it got very little media attention until the launching ceremony of first phase of project. The idea is to gradually develop Namal College into an Oxford like world-class research university and knowledge city where scholars can work and study in an Oxford-like academic environment.
The most impressive part of this project is that majority of the students at the college/university will be on scholarships and come from areas where they would not have had the opportunities that the Namal College would offer. The Namal College will be of enormous benefit not only to the Mianwali district but also the whole of Pakistan. Over the long term, Namal College’s “Knowledge City” will act as a best practice model for other regions of Pakistan to extend its benefits nationally, like the Shaukat Khanum is doing today.
Imran Khan started to work on the idea to build a university beside Namal Lake (above) during 2002 elections when he was running his campaign in Mianwali District. He observed one of the highest level of unemployment rate among the youth who were mostly unskilled. Everyone young person he came across during that time, told him that they can’t get any job because of lack of education and technical skills. That’s when Imran decided that he would build a world class educational and they don’t have any technical training college in one of the most backward areas like Mianwali. A place like Namal College where even the children of poorest people can get quality education, technical training and employable skills, so that they could earn a decent living. Last Sunday saw the first phase of his dream come true.
According to The News:
A large number of people gathered on Sunday for the inauguration of the college, including government ministers, educationists, and donors alongside the people of Mianwali, who have so generously donated the land on which the college has been built.
Working alongside Imran for the last two years has been the University of Bradford, one of the leading universities in the UK, especially in engineering and management courses. The university has been ranked No 1 for graduate employment in the north of England in The Times League tables for the last five years and has a history of developing and delivering high quality and demand-driven degree programmes as well as an excellent reputation for research.
In December 2005, Imran was appointed the university’s first international chancellor, succeeding four previous chancellors, the first of whom was Harold Wilson, Labour Prime Minister of Britain.
The University of Bradford has granted ‘Associate College’ status to Namal College. Commenting on the importance of the partnership with the Namal College, Vice Chancellor of the University of Bradford Mark Cleary said, “The university does not award Associate College status lightly. In our 42-year history since we were granted our Royal Charter, we have given this status to only eight Associate Colleges in the United Kingdom and only three around the world. We were, however, inspired by the vision and values for Namal College, which we felt were very similar to our own and to the commitment for excellence, exemplified by Shaukat Khanum Memorial Hospital, also a partner of the university, which we know will be demonstrated here at Namal College too.”
The Bradford University will be involved in designing the courses and curriculum, in ensuring quality assurance mechanism and training and development for the faculty. Courses will be delivered in 4 phases. The Phase I will offer certificate courses, Phase II diploma courses, Phase III degree course and Phase IV research degrees.
The initial curriculum will be focused in the following areas: Construction (masons, carpenters, electricians), automotive engineering, electrical engineering with emphasis on appliances repairs; agricultural equipment engineering, development and maintenance, and cement industry work.
Let us hope and pray that this project fulfills its objectives of providing the best quality educational, research and technical training opportunities to the poorest and most neglected segments of our society. Anyone interested in knowing more, how can s/he help and donate, please visit official website of Namal College or goto Tehreek-i-Insaf website. More information on Namal College can be found here, here and here.
Note: Most of the photographs have been provided by Ahsan Mansoor of PTI, Lahore. Click on the links for rest which will take you to original photographer’s website.
I THINK THIS IS WONDERFUL ENVIRONMENT AND TECHNICAL COLLEGE FOR EDUCATION I WISH IMRAN KHAN BUILD ONE TECHNICAL COLLEGE IN KOHAT NWFP THANKS IMRAN KHAN YOU ARE SO HARD WORKING FOR PAKISTAN PLEASE BUILD ONE TECHNICAL IN KOHAT MAY ALLAH BLESS YOU.
Every politician, de facto, is divisive; there are those who will follow and those who will oppose, that is the nature of the trade.
Now, to suggest that skills gained from philanthropy, and captaining a sports team to its apogee, are not translatable to leadership on a wider scale, or to posit that support cannot augment, is myopic. A good leader possesses the ability to build an effective team.
Existence of Namal college will encourage ground-breaking researchers/scientists from around the world to speak there, success will follow, support for Imran will increase, the best and the good will join his band wagon, and I must resist alliteration!
Ayesha, I agree that we have to agree to disagree on this but interesting exchange of views anyways.
I was referring to the seat adjustment thing before 1997 elections. If you recall, seat adjustment is done in almost every election weeks before polling between political parties. Jamat-i-Islami, for example, cannot win a single seat from Punjab (particularly urban areas) in my view without seat adjustment with NS and they benefited hugely in 2002. Seat adjustment with JI always help in defeating PPP in many closely contested seats in Punjab. You should analyze past election results and winning margins.
Since you were in Pakistan in 1997 so you probably remember that everyone thought IK would be a big impact in 1997 and NS’s vote bank was most likely to be most hurt. NS worried about this tried to do seat adjustment with JI and PTI and some others too. During that time NS was willing to withdraw his candidates from 50+ seats in favor of PTI all over Pakistan but IK, probably unaware of ground reality, refused it. Its a well known fact. I think he would have won many seats just because of NS’s overwhelming popularity at that time. Of course, nobody had even dreamt at that time that IK will lose in such a big way and NS will get such a heavy mandate.
Regarding PM ship offer in 2001-2, Gen. Musharraf has admitted that himself in one of his interviews so its not just a theory. I ‘ll see if I can find a video on youtube. During 2000-02, Musharraf was desperate to find a suitable face for his government. IK, despite his occasional tyrant attitude, would have brought good reputation, more acceptance and legitimacy for Musharraf’s regime. I am sure and I agree with you that he must have interviewed many and probably offered PMship to some others too (typical of our establishment). IK at that time was supporting Musharraf and was hot because of his good image in public. Remember that famous incident at SKMTH fund raising event when Musharraf saluted IK (photo here and youtube video here – watch the part after 4:50 secs) after which everyone thought IK would be next PM?
My own guess is that Musharraf wanted Imran Khan to be the next Prime Minister initially. However, he must have analyzed the ground situation and realized that PTI can only win a few seats and IK would not fit in his setup involving Shujaat and Pervez Ilahi so he dropped the idea. The choice of Shaukat Aziz came later when situation was completely different. I also agree that Amin Faheem must have been offered PMship too. It was probably a desperate attempt by Musharraf to stay in power after elections and he would have too, had Amin Faheem agreed.
But the point is, IK could have taken it by compromising a bit and keeping his mouth shut on few things which he didn’t. Its complicated I think. One may argue that had he accepted those offers, he would have become part of the system he wants to change and there are many examples of good politicians turning into villains. Even Musharraf can be counted in this category considering his excellent governance between 1999-2002. Once he decided to form that King’s party and hold elections drama he just kept on making mistakes after mistakes after that.
I know about Eidhi’s political career but he is not in the category of leaders and lacks charisma which IK, in my view has. Eidhi, Asma and may be Hoodbhoy can still win a seat but do they fall in leaders category or can they have a significant impact on political scenario? I think not.
Of course, I am not saying at all that anybody can win elections in US or France with their personal popularity. I am just comparing the chances of success in different political systems and I believe personal popularity is a much bigger factor in setups like US or France than in Pakistan.
Lastly, from what I have heard IK talks about Dr. Mahatir’s economic model and how he has turned Malaysia into a developed country. I ,too, admire Mahatir for how he has changed the fate of Malaysian people in just 2 decades (despite having my reservations about his treatment to some of his political enemies – Anwer Ibrahim topping the list). He is probably the only one in entire Muslim world who takes on West and US for their double standards. If you ask me, I would rather prefer someone with questionable democratic values who can deliver and bring economic growth and prosperity to miserable population of Pakistan over the so called democratic leaders who fail to deliver each time they are given a chance.
Btw, I think you ‘ll enjoy reading this :).
We’re probably going to have to agree to disagree on this Darwaish, but I must say this theory of NS offering him 50-80 seats in 1997 is completely new–never heard it before–not even from IK himself, whom I have met a few times and heard him speak several times. And quite frankly, makes zero sense. How can anyone just offer someone seats? The party has to win the seats on their own.
I was in Pakistan for that election and voted in it. Prior to the election, there was extremely acrimonious exchange between IK and NS–NS had such a clean sweep in those elections, therefore he had no reason to pander to anyone.
However, I do know that a few months after the elections, NS (trying to show false magnanimity) offered IK the post of Sports Minister, which IK refused (in my opinion, wrongly).
He should have taken it–like Bhutto took Foreign Minister in Ayub’s cabinet. If he was good at the job, maybe he would have gotten more support from the people, like Bhutto did. It is this all or nothing approach of IK that Babar has pointed out earlier on this forum, which is very apolitical.
Now, your second theory, about Mush offering IK the post of PM, I have heard this one before, from IK himself and his supporters–but frankly, I don’t believe it. Everyone knows IK has a mind of his own and will not listen to anyone or bow down, so why on earth would Mush leave aside all the panderers around in Pakistan’s politics and ask IK, who had no political base to placate anyway. Mush wanted someone maleable, like Shaukat Aziz, who would go with the flow–not a loose cannon like IK.
Incidentally, many other politicians also claim that Mush offered them the post of PM–IK is not alone in this. Amin Fahim also claims this for instance, and to me, that makes more sense–that would have essentially neutralized a part of the PPP–far more beneficial for Mush than giving it to IK–who had no base to neutralize.
IK would have brought nothing to the table for Mush.
Incidentally, ZAB created the chance–that is what I am talking about. He had several flaws, but he did create the chance–that is a difference between an astute politician and someone who is more of a talk show personality, like IK.
And by the way, Edhi won the election the first time he contested, but he lost the second time. Read his biography and find out for yourself. Just goes to show that if you are good at philanthropy, it does not necessarily mean you are good at governance.
And btw, one man’s popularity won’t do jack in the US unless that man comes from either the Democratic or Republican party! Do you honestly believe that Obama could have made any headway at all if he didn’t belong to the democratic party. Trust me, politics is not so different anywhere.
I also find it a bit ironic btw that IK always speaks highly of monarchies and dictatorships in other countries, like Britain (he is very enamoured by the royalty there) and Mahathir in Malaysia (says he is his role model)–one really wonders about his commitment to democratic values. If you talk to his teammates on the cricket field, they also talk about his dictatorial style—I think this is also a key reason he has failed to build a democratic team.
Oh well, chances are not always created in our kind of politics sometimes they come in our way. Now if we take them or not, that’s a different story. Take IK for example. In 1997’s elections in which NS got that heavy mandate, he offered IK between 50-80 seats which IK refused. Whether he over-estimated his popularity or it was really a matter of principles for him as he claims, that’s up to people to decide. That was a massive chance which he didn’t create (by any definition of what you call creating chances in politics) but it just came his way. Second time around it was Musharaf who made him a great offer to become a major political player but again he didn’t take it. Now it was his bad luck, stupidity, error of judgement or a right decision that remains to be seen. I am sure both NS and Musharaf must have seen something in IK to make such offers? That’s what I mean when I say IF he gets a chance and I seriously think he will get one more chance. Reminds me of late 60s when some chances came ZA Bhutto’s way (coz of fate and Ayub Khan’s failures) and he grabbed them with both hands.
IK (or someone like him) cannot have any major success in current political setup because I don’t believe he has that grass root level party structure in place (despite being widely popular in my view) which is essential to succeed in our setup and which other political players enjoy. This is not the case in many other countries in the world where one man’s popularity and ability can make a huge difference (US and France for example). See that’s difference between a good candidate and a candidate who can win you seats. IK has proved in recent years that he can win too. I haven’t voted for IK myself since 1997 because I don’t think his party can win more than 2 seats in the system we have but I think he will be a force in next elections (my personal opinion). But all these arguments don’t make NS or Zardari viable candidates and IK not so viable (in principle). If we go by your viability theory then IK should have taken the offers made by NS and Musharraf (big names that you mention would have followed automatically) but in that case he would have become part of what wants to change. So its probably not about IK’s viability but more to do with the setup/system in place.
I also disagree with your Aitzaz Ahsen point (though I like him). I don’t think it was mainly Aitzaz Ahsen, his team or the principles they stood for that got CJ reinstated. They were important but in my view the support of political parties (PPP/PML-N…and obviously they were doing it in their political interest and not for some principles) and media were the main factors behind the initial success of lawyers movement which led to CJ to reinstatement. Most people across Pakistan still support CJ and lawyers movement, don’t they? Its based on principles, have popular support but what exactly is the result? The re-appointment of judges in a manner which violates the very basic principles of lawyers movement and CJ would probably never be restored. The reality is that Hameed Dogar is Chief Justice so which principles are we talking about here? The only good thing Aitzaz Ahsan and the lawyers movement has achieved is the awareness among masses.
I am also surprised that you have given examples of Hoodbhoy (quite an extreme example, besides.. he is way too polite), Eidhi and Asma (no matter how smart they are) as charisma is one thing they don’t even fall in leaders category by any definition. Eidhi also tried his luck in politics without any success.
I agree with most of the points you are making (political player and establishing a party) here but I just don’t think it is fair to apply them in current Pakistani scenario. If we were talking about US or UK, I would have agreed with most of your points about political players but the problem is that we are not a democracy. Not yet. We can’t even say for sure that the kind of democracy we are trying to promote here in Pakistan actually suits us but of course, that’s a different debate. Like they say, let’s just wait and see what happens and reserve our judgements.