- The system ‘Kaptaan’ and his ilk came to change has changed them
Budget blues, inflation skyrocketing, the number of perished promises piling up, all pervading disenchantment, and victorious ones behaving with wanton abandon are some of the ground realities that presently inundate our political landscape. The mega scheme to milk the already tattered populace to level the fiscal and monetary shortcomings and shortfalls is going at full throttle. The only thing to see now is how long the indifferent butchers can sell themselves as concerned, caring surgeons.
The system Kaptaan and his ilk came to change has changed them. And, as it turned out and keeps on turning out, they are the latest and true victims of the system.
The only thing to see now is how long the indifferent butchers can sell themselves as concerned, caring surgeons
When will the last nail find its way in the coffin of IK, the jury is out. The man and myth surrounding him tells us that he has braved far deadlier, more noxious circumstances. The diehard acolytes are by his side and are the least bit touched or moved by his performance so far. However, lest we forget the clock is ticking and Khan is running out of time to conjure up a miracle. The opposition may be embattled but they are down not out. They vie to acquire new ammunition to cut him to size with. Men, it is said, revel in the fall and disgrace of the upright. Khan and his cohorts are no saints. Their rivals and adversaries are not Satan. Playing to the gallery and aiming to project themselves more virtuous and pious than the others does not mean that they really are.
No one among us is more sinned against than they have sinned. Power has that tendency to show us the true side of our convictions and beliefs and claims.
Folks saw in him a savior, sensed a leader, a herald that was to bring the news of good riddance from all that was corrupt to the core, thoroughly degraded and rotten from the inside out. Kaptaan was put in the company of giants this country had. From figuring out his resemblance with Jinnah to the populist streak Bhutto championed, Khan was believed to possess the best of qualities. He turned out to be a fool in making use of them.
I’ve written before in these pages that the faithful may call PTI’s win an Act of God where He has fulfilled his promise of helping those who help themselves in a just, benevolent manner. The skeptics among us see its victory as behind-the-scenes puppetry of powers-that-be who wanted a new, handsome face to cover all the ugly, brutal, scarred reality that defines Pakistan of today. The struggle was over. The strife has just begun. The movement is dead. Long live the party in power. It all happened because people heard the promises, paid heed, believed them, came out in droves and voted PTI in with a margin that was exceptional and even beyond their wildest expectations
These lines were written immediately after General Election, 2018. As of now, the naysayers are gaining traction while the supporters are either apologetic, silent or have already joined the critics.
As a reminder, Imran Khan promised to rid Pakistan of economic dire straits, developing its human capital, not taking any loans, providing education to all and sundry, opportunities for everyone to earn a decent livelihood, stamping out challenges faced by minorities and ethnic groups, forging a more equitable and just society, a cleaner, greener Pakistan, and the list goes on and on. Imran Khan, a self-proclaimed know-it-all sage promised heaven to denizens whose lives on earth invited no one’s envy.
The momentary masters of our land are monomaniacs at large. Hell bent on eradicating corruption and bringing the culprits to task they’ve forgotten that punishing the wrongdoer won’t pave way for the dilemmas that bedevil Pakistan. The systemic rot won’t go even if billions of dollars come back. The economic dire straits are due to the psychological and moral outlook we the people of Pakistan have acquired over the years.
Want to defeat the system? Want to triumph? Want to bring real change? There is only one way to do that; stop playing by the rigged rules of the system. Or else, even if you are heading it, you are not merely just another victim, but a true victim.
