Imran Khan is the talk of the town as his bombast of bringing ‘change’ and building a ‘new Pakistan’ has caught the imagination of the youth – the biggest stratum of country’s population – who throng his public meetings in thousands. The youth of today should not forget that he made similar tall claims, fifteen years ago, when he launched ‘Tehrik-e-Insaf’. The teenagers of 1996 are in their thirties now, a bit disappointed and disillusioned because he failed to deliver what he had promised, then.
One remains sceptical about the youth’s enthusiasm for Imran, being bowled out by his charisma, without realising that he has no solid political agenda as to what and how he will sort the political, economic and social malaise afflicting Pakistan. Charisma is nothing in itself if it is not backed by a program or an ideology to pursue. Quaid-e-Azam used charisma to achieve the Muslim homeland of Pakistan on the ‘two-nation’ agenda; Mahatma Gandhi capitalised on charisma to fight for Indian independence on the philosophy of ‘non-violence’ whereas Adolf Hitler built a ‘new Germany’ on the ideology of Nazism.
What is Imran’s philosophy for a ‘new Pakistan’? So far, like Mussolini of Italy, he has just indulged in the politics of negativity, criticising others, without presenting any comprehensive positive programme of his own. What we do know is that he disapproves of a secular state because he thinks that Pakistan was acquired in the name of Islam thus a secular polity would be a negation of the very rationale of its inception. Does this mean that he stands closer to the right-wing conservatives? If so then what new or different he has to offer from the already existing centre-right PMLs or the myriad religio-political parties such as Jamat-i-Islami, Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam, etc. In 1997, he is on the record to have said that he would usher an Islamic revolution of the type of ‘Khulfa-i-Rashideen’ (the first four righteous caliphs in Islamic history) yet his role models include such varied figures as Mahathir Muhammad, Quaid-e-Azam, Allama Iqbal, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and the pious Omayyad Caliph Hazrat Omar bin Abdul Aziz (RA), the last one was mentioned as the classical role model, when he presented his fourteen-point manifesto (a reminder of Jinnah’s fourteen points) back in the first week of January 1997.
Today’s Pakistan is struggling between liberalism and religious conservatism. Where does Imran Khan stand? Has he deeply studied the plethora of problems faced by the nation and has his party come up with any workable solutions? Keep your fingers crossed! In December 1997, he had announced that his party had a number of think tanks which were busy day and night to formulate viable policies on pressing issues like health, education, economy, law, etc. Where is the output of these think tanks? Similarly, in April 1997, he promised to launch a social development movement by opening schools and dispensaries for the poor. Where are they? We do know about his cancer hospital – a great monument for which generations will remain grateful to him – but where are Imran’s dispensaries for the poor among the deluge of private clinics and hospitals fleecing the people. Similarly, while ‘madrassahs’ and private schools have seen a mushroom growth, one doesn’t come across Imran’s schools. Khan Sahib! Mujhey sub hai yad zara zara, tumhey yad ho kay na yad ho!
On top of such a track record, he is claiming to be the harbinger of a ‘political tsunami’ and ‘mini-revolution’. Why does he tout ‘mini-revolution’ and not a ‘total revolution?’ Is it because he is just a reformist and not a committed revolutionary? Over the years, the widening gap between the rich and the poor has hit the Pakistani middle classes, the most. They are being crushed under the burden of price hike, inflation, unemployment and diminishing opportunities of decent livelihood. The problem with the middle classes is that they can never support a total revolution because it threatens their safe middle position in the society, thus, they crave for reforms to ensure some more breathing space for themselves within the existing system. In the long run, the middle class favours the status quo and the Pakistani middle classes have found their spokesman in Imran Khan. That is why Imran advocates that “a bloody revolution is not the answer to our problems as it would trigger many more problems.” Such statements have a lot of appeal for the middle classes that mostly reside in the urban areas and it is they who crowd his public meetings, the most.
Incidentally, a leader that just insists on reforms and doesn’t threaten to rock the boat happens to suit the Pakistani establishment as well because at the end of the day, it is often they who decide as to who should don the crown of power. Of the available lot of discredited politicians, Imran has the advantage of being ‘Mr Clean’ and the powers-that-be also think, like many others, that his ‘clean’ image can put a new life in the otherwise demoralized nation that is teetering on the brink due to religious militancy, economic downhill and political incompetence.
The trickiest question is: will Imran play ball with the arbiters of power? In the past, he has not only been offered minister ship on different occasions but also the prime ministerial office, twice, according to his own admission to the Calcutta weekly ‘Sunday’, in March 1996, however, he flatly refused to enter the corridors of power through the backdoor. A bit of an alarming fact for those, who matter most in the power game, may have been his statement at the launching of ‘Tehrik-e-Insaf’ in April 1996, when he stated that even “becoming prime minister is too small a thing for him.” It can be anybody’s guess as to what he meant by this? Does he desire unchallenged absolute power that he would not like to share with anyone? Well! In the past, he willfully abstained from forming electoral alliance though he was offered about 30/35 seats by PML(N) before the February 1997 general elections, and is reported to have said, “We don’t like coalitions.” Either he is naive of country’s contemporary political history of coalition governments or is dangerously bold.
Moreover, he has already warned that though he would welcome ‘political heavy weights’ yet he would not allow them to ‘hijack’ the party, meaning thereby that the absolute authority would vest in him. His critics have accused him of being ‘arrogant’ and a ‘dictator of cricket’. While he may not have been so lest he should not forget that the kingmakers don’t tolerate such autocratic tendencies, and the examples of Z A Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif should serve as stark reminders. How he resolves this dilemma will determine his political destiny.
The writer is an academic and journalist. He can be reached at [email protected]
@ writer
Very well formulated article.
What is the need of Pakistan; A Total or Mini-Revolution?
Middle class favours Status-Quo…..How??? Why???
Nice article, Imran Khan didn't have any plan to pay the debt of his last election he had to gamble with the help of his Jew brother-in-law on the cricket match between England and Australia. Hmmmm, he can't control the finances of his own party and he is trying to control the finances of the whole country?
"After serving in the Marines during World War I, Goldsmith went to work in his father's business, developing tuberculosis soon thereafter. As his father before him, Goldsmith was healed by a Christian Science practitioner and in 1928 Goldsmith became an active Christian Scientist, moving to Boston and living across the street from the "Mother Church".[3 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joel_S._Goldsmith
My dear brother Adnan, please have a look at the link i posted to increase your knowledge and understanding before you post such irresponsible comments.
Goldsmith family were Non practicing Jews, and after the world war 2 they converged their practices to Christianity. Now, you may argue that once a Jew remains a Jew right? Well, as my caste is Rajput, we were once hindus, that does not mean that i am a less of a muslim than you are right?
Secondly, he cant control his finances, yes even if he could not he did not start looting people like all others do. He played a game of spread betting which is mere speculation once in his life. No one is clean, but he at least he did use your money to build fortresses for himself, right? Peace brother, open up your eyes, your ears, smell and see the coffee boiling 😉
IK is from the upper class. In his whole life he never took public transport to go to school or resturants. He never travelled in a local buses or rikshaws. He studied in Aitchison College, Lahore. After that he went to england. In his cricket life he never stayed in summer at Pakistan (due to hot). He preferd to spent summer in Europe. Now his VP of part is Shah Mahmood Quraishi (number 15 richest person of the country). where is the middle class.
Masood Malik
Yorba Linda, CA USA
u never came to Pakistan. You liar!
At masood malik : It's peope like you who are proping up corrupt ppl in pakistan by these views while sitting comfortably in US. you are hypocrite. you are enjoying life and don't want a change in pak. IK is from prestigious background yet he made a cancer hospital to serve poor pakistanis. Shame on you to dirty a Great man's image.
Dear Masood:
You mean Zardari's and Nawaz's are part of solution, u need to improve ur IQ 🙁
mr.masood malik
the first thing is if u have money to spend,would u still like to travel on public transport???travel on rickshaws??? if u can afford a trip to europe,would u not go???and please dont tell me u will donate all the money for the trip to the poor class.
whatever he has ,is totally white money.he has a full right to spend where ever he wants to.if the money was stolen frm the public ,u could raise the point then!
laslty, where does this middle class theory comes in? ruler of pakistan doesnt have to be from middle class! the mostly rulers of Pakistan and rest of the world are really rich guys! considering zardari and nawaz shareef's wealth,Imran Khan is really pooor!
You want a total rev? Like a leftist one from the 70’s? A fascist one? A khumeini styled? You want to replace parliamentary democracy? You want blood on the streets?
How many free dispencaries and good schools have zardari and sharif founded?
Imran has firmly stated that he will bring civilian oversight and control of the establishment…yet you still say he is supported by the establishment? What do u want, that he declare a jihad on the army?
You expect him to lay out detailed policies on tv? How much air time will the channels give him and how long before people get bored? Have u ever asked what are the policies of those in power, like ppp and pmln?
Jitnay mun utni baten
You want Imran to declare himself a secularist for ur sake, So that the majority conservative pop don’t vote for him?
lol@ 'jitney mun utni batain'.. so true!
@Mr. Qizilbash
It was an interesting piece although i disagree with some points you have raised. I will briefly like to put forward my set arguments with all due respect.
You have talked about the charisma of IK which may lead the young astray, which i agree. Charisma in itself is dangerous but as you believe that IK has no agenda or there is no ideology behind it i totally disagree. In my mind, the idea behind his movement is getting rid of corruption, is that so hard to understand? Quad-e-Azam and Gandhi both had their beliefs and religiously worked hard to achieve along with their charisma. I am not comparing IK with them, but i am comparing the way in which it works. He believes this to be the downfall of this country, which i and millions others including you know it very well and somehow one way or the other have witnessed or experienced the dark side of this in being victims of corruption. That is his ideology, the first and the foremost which is the most important. Get this hurdle out, you start moving ahead. I do not expect a ' massive change' but what i expect is sincerity in the men who get our votes. He may not be as clean as he claims to be, but i know he is not like the top corrupt lot too, period!
You mentioned that IK had a team which worked day and night in 1996, you asked where is the output, well the output wasnt there for sure. Because it wasn't able to get manufactured i.e he lost in elections!
As to your quote in urdu, well, i am actually surprised by the level of critics on IK. Its like, you are comparing apples with oranges. One guy, made a cancer hospital, made a college and you want more from him, thats alright, i want the same. That is why i am voting for him, to get those schools built by state machinery and not on relentless trips for fundraising which he has done single handed! He has a choice, to pursue politics properly or become a back stage philanthropist which he can never now.
"becoming prime minister too small a thing for him", well it is too small a thing for me too. Because it is what you do with it that matters, his beliefs and goals make us think about his arrogance but here comes the understanding of a pessimist or an optimist to understand what this statement means.
Also, you have ended in contradicting yourself. You spoke about the 'total revolution' that he ignores to talk about and then critically analyzing his decision not to form coalitions. Wherever he tilts, critics will be critics 🙂
I'll sum up by saying that in 1996 I was a teenager myself, and to be honest, i did not even know the allegations based on him by PML-N about jews etc, i got to know only now. My point being, the difference between 1996 and 2012-13 will be the information we receive now, i.e talk shows, youtube and online newspapers. We middle class as you mentioned are the hardest hit, and we all have been informed why we have been hit, it is up to us to tilt to the one who thinks can provide a remedy, whether Khan will do it or not, that is anybody's guess. At least i'll have my conscience clear on the election day.
I wish you lost of success in writing.
Best wishes.
Imran
This is just knitt picking by these academics,they will use all their brains to criticise Ik but will never come up with the alternative.what sort of argument is this that he is made a cancer hospital but not hundreds of dispensaries like making a cancer hospital is no achievement.
But it is true….Is n't it ?
Imran did announce his social reform agenda with no progress.
Ok
you，d tell us if IK can,t diliver nawaz sharif and zardari will make
this country a viable state. IK may,ve some shortfalls but he,s honest brave and self esteem.if he can,t diliver he,ll not loot too.
do you mean we,d leave upto zardari and nawaz sharif to keep on looting this nation.
Charisma? Imran Khan has become more charismatic in 2011? So Imran Khan was less charismatic in 1997. Interesting!
I'm from the 1996 teenage generation and even if I am 100 years old, I will still want a leader to cleanse our society of the problems that it faces. The class system is such a sick notion, it tells people to imagine being where they are, and staying put.
Why a primarily non-Islamic mentality? Everyone has the same number of opportunities but poor choices lead to poor outcomes. To beg, to not learn, to ask, to expect, to want are poor choices, whoever makes them, both rich and the poor must stay where they are.
The world moves on… change is from within, it's not acquired. If people want a better leader in Imran Khan, I say forget 1996, look forward to 2013 and 2018 and 2023, not in our life time but in the times of our children, change will come, InshAllah.
We just have to look at the track records of all those that have been in power and the condition of average Pakistani's for the past decades. And then compare that with the track record of Imran and his achievements to date to realise that this person is talking absolute nonsense…..
Instead of arguing what IK delivered or not we should rather focus on who is the least corrupt politician at the moment? I see a radical spark in Imran Khan and his spirit to bring reforms influences our youth today. Hes the only politician I take interest listening to. Whereas, social class is concern. NONE of the politicians come from the middle or low class.
another rant. ppl are not after imran becoz of his charisma. i dont understand wht people get out of writing such articles
I just read the article..he fails to take into account the fact IK’s achievements as an MNA. He initiated the namal college, built roads by collecting money, set up schools in collaboration with citizen foundation. Or does the write want schools to be set up in his own name?
As written by Mr. Imran above "It was an interesting piece although i disagree with some points you have raised. I will briefly like to put forward my set arguments with all due respect.
You have talked about the charisma of IK which may lead the young astray, which i agree. Charisma in itself is dangerous but as you believe that IK has no agenda or there is no ideology behind it i totally disagree. In my mind, the idea behind his movement is getting rid of corruption, is that so hard to understand? Quad-e-Azam and Gandhi both had their beliefs and religiously worked hard to achieve along with their charisma. I am not comparing IK with them, but i am comparing the way in which it works. He believes this to be the downfall of this country, which i and millions others including you know it very well and somehow one way or the other have witnessed or experienced the dark side of this in being victims of corruption. That is his ideology, the first and the foremost which is the most important. Get this hurdle out, you start moving ahead. I do not expect a ' massive change' but what i expect is sincerity in the men who get our votes. He may not be as clean as he claims to be, but i know he is not like the top corrupt lot too, period!
You mentioned that IK had a team which worked day and night in 1996, you asked where is the output, well the output wasnt there for sure. Because it wasn't able to get manufactured i.e he lost in elections!
As to your quote in urdu, well, i am actually surprised by the level of critics on IK. Its like, you are comparing apples with oranges. One guy, made a cancer hospital, made a college and you want more from him, thats alright, i want the same. That is why i am voting for him, to get those schools built by state machinery and not on relentless trips for fundraising which he has done single handed! He has a choice, to pursue politics properly or become a back stage philanthropist which he can never now.
"becoming prime minister too small a thing for him", well it is too small a thing for me too. Because it is what you do with it that matters, his beliefs and goals make us think about his arrogance but here comes the understanding of a pessimist or an optimist to understand what this statement means.
Also, you have ended in contradicting yourself. You spoke about the 'total revolution' that he ignores to talk about and then critically analyzing his decision not to form coalitions. Wherever he tilts, critics will be critics 🙂
I'll sum up by saying that in 1996 I was a teenager myself, and to be honest, i did not even know the allegations based on him by PML-N about jews etc, i got to know only now. My point being, the difference between 1996 and 2012-13 will be the information we receive now, i.e talk shows, youtube and online newspapers. We middle class as you mentioned are the hardest hit, and we all have been informed why we have been hit, it is up to us to tilt to the one who thinks can provide a remedy, whether Khan will do it or not, that is anybody's guess. At least i'll have my conscience clear on the election day.
I wish you lost of success in writing.
Best wishes.
Imran "
I do agree with a very nice response……….wht a stupid thing is that he built a cancer hospital ehy he not built dispensaries…….did u ever ask the ppl who are ruling for years…have they produced any single hospital like that…any single like that….with state funds even…?
Yeah great criticism of the article.This coming from a guy who thinks imran khan is or was an MNA.
On a personal note, may we know your contributions to this nation? Did you contribute anything to any charitable hospital ever? You expect IK to build free hospitals while you cannot even question those in power why they looted the nation. We know IK is not a magic but at least he is not corrupt and doesn't mince words. Let him be a disaster but atleast we will have satisfaction that someone of his caliber and stature is at the helm instead of the crooks and Mr. 10%.
Well said
IK is worst kind of islamofascist, modern version of Zia Ul Haq.
lol at your comment is what all i can do. Dont even want to counter your comment.. *yawn*
I think the writer conveniently ignore the very reason of why pakistan is where we are today, i.e. CORRUPTION, if you we can control this epidemic all our issues will resolve like a jigsaw and if anyone can control corruption to an acceptable low level i.e one and only IMRAN KHAN, The rest you can hire the top brains in the nation to plan and implement
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