The talk of the town is Imran Khan’s ‘Pakistan Bachao Tehreek’ (Save Pakistan Movement). In every meeting and discussion, I often hear about the attendance at Minar-e-Pakistan and it seems that this power show is becoming the basis of support for the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI). One sensible quarter has asked for an effective plan and strategy on how Imran Khan would change the system. I, too, have my concerns and would like to ask Imran Khan’s supporters, who think that he will bring about a 180-degree change in the direction of the country, about all the tall claims that he has made in the past that have not yet been accomplished.
I am still waiting for Imran Khan to share the details of the model houses and/or villages for the flood affected people in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab, for which he had collected donations and said that he would put everything in black and white. I am still waiting for Imran Khan to visit and assist the flood affected people of Sindh and visit victims of target killings in Karachi. I am still waiting for Imran Khan to pursue cases against Altaf Hussain in London that he claimed he would. His action on the ground is now in contradiction to his claims regarding MQM.
I am still waiting for Imran Khan to go to the superior courts to keep the Chaudhrys from running for elections, which he was determined to pursue prior to the 2008 elections and even showed their bank default papers in front of the media. I am still waiting for Imran Khan to conduct a rally in Karachi, Quaid-e Azam’s home city, and refer to Altaf Hussain by a self-generated name like he did for the PML(N) leaders by calling them the ‘dengue brothers’.
I am still waiting for Imran Khan to bring new leadership ahead rather than giving the second seat on stage in his Lahore rally to a controversial figure like Mian Azhar, who has only recently joined the PTI. Perhaps, now I am waiting for PML(Q)’s outdated politicians to start joining PTI and sit on the stage pushing down the diehard workers, who have been with PTI for so many years. There is a long list of things that I am still waiting for, but with his present style of leadership and his opposition of PML(N), I have lost hope in him.
With all the above-mentioned promises that he could not deliver being in the opposition, assuming that he does come to power, I am sure that he will either be hijacked by the incumbent politicians from the PML(Q) or would continue doing what he has always done i.e., make empty promises.
FATIMA BAREE
Karachi