Now, a bit on the social media sharing mainstream media.
In the aftermath of the 1971 crisis, when he had retired from the army, disgraced, but still safe because of the old boys’ club, Gen Yahya Khan gave some interviews.
In one of these interviews, he said that he thought Wali Khan (whom he was ideologically opposed to) was the best of the lot amongst the politicians. A man’s man, or something to the effect.
But even the abject simpletons amongst the NAP/ANP supporters would not boast about this. A praise of its leader, yes. But from whom? This monster of a man who was a military dictator to boot? Not something to feel proud of.
But the online legions of the PTI are not the same way when it comes to praise of Imran Khan by Pervez Musharraf. A video where the former generalissimo is praising Imran Khan is being shared online giddily by the PTI’s supporters.
But the ideological divide between the sort of person who supports the PTI and the sort of person who supports Musharraf is tough to find. So supporters of one generally like the other.
Except two types of people. The first are MQM supporters, who love one and hate the other. And those with strong views on how to handle the terrorist scourge addressing the country.
Their respective policies on the war on terror: Musharraf believed in a violent clampdown – against some, all the while keeping the groups that keep the Afghan flame alive. Imran Khan believes in mollycoddling the terrorists and asking them what they want for breakfast.
On the issues of the continuation of the democratic process and the dangers of praetorian rule, too, they have somewhat similar views.
Mr Khan had supported the dictator when he had first staged his coup in 1999. And though he says he knows better now, his dharna of 2014 proves he still doesn’t quite have a handle around the whole democracy thing.
