Our culture and history has always glorified individuals and not institutions
The romance with Imran Khan is not entirely a new phenomenon. People had a similar, and many would assert a more profound, devotion for ZAB before him. We can go on tracing such larger than life figures that were held up as demigods by their followers. I do appreciate that there are many who simply shun the existence of any such romanticism and label it as farce. Some of them are his political rivals, so their attitude is understandable. As for others, there is no plausible explanation for their bittersweet denial, save for they must behave this way. Let them follow their noses, only to be knocked down and slanted.
The Pakistan Tehrik-i-Insaf (PTI) supporters are in essence Imran Khan’s loyalists. Apart from a few exceptions they do not care two hoots about the rest of the opportunists in his party. The inclusion of those has disgruntled some of the passionate workers and there is a considerable dissent within the party. For the outsiders though, the Tehrik projects the united front. Their call is simple: cometh the elections, cometh the Kaptaan. Regardless of how that may turn out, even if their version materialises, people are going to get very disappointed once the man is in office. Obama’s first term is an indicator. Tony Blair faced a similar reaction with New Labour many years ago. People’s hopes are exponentially raised by the pre-election rhetoric, only to be dashed later on by constraints of the political office. If disappointed, we will then convince ourselves that he did deliver by applying the convoluted backward reasoning we are so apt at. Much like we did with ZAB and all the rest before him.
Our reverence for individuals has been imported from religion, transferred to culture and then clumsily heaved into politics. We have grown up reading and listening about the devotion the companions had for the Prophet (SAW). Religion is an integral part of our social conditioning and more so our worldview — the basis of which is our imagination. Such tales capture our imagination from a very young age. Visit a shrine today and you will find traces akin to once-imagined-prophetic-devotion. Even with a cultural spin on it, this dedication to our saints is by and large good and neutral. It becomes bad and ugly when it is shoved into politics. The political gaddis are bizarre examples of such a politico-religious abuse. For their followers the Makhdooms and Pirs epitomize Nietzsche’s Superman. What reverence!
Any surprises if variance of such romance is attached with the political leaders. It is the same religious-cum-cultural mind, having been conditioned thus, that transposes such a reverence into politics. Pick up any leader and he has his own cult. That leader for them is the first among equals. Call them silly or naive but hero worship, readers, is not unique to Imran Khan. Every set of followers can give you as many reasons for their fidelity to their leader. The reasons cited, more often than not, will be utterly independent of the merits of their hero. Same is the case with Imran Khan’s followers or that of Nawaz Sharif’s on the other side of the fence, much like that of ZAB’s before them.
People justly render unto their leaders what is theirs (they deserve) and they also generously render unto their leaders what is God’s (they do not deserve). We choose to make them heroes and we decide how we wish to see them. Don’t get me wrong, our heroes are no cocoons but their stature is inflated many folds. To an extent, we forget these are only humans we are talking about. However, if I may, the buck does not really stop here. Our indulgence with hero worship is because of our culture and history that has always glorified individuals and not institutions.
We don’t need more heroes who are placed on higher pedestals and their stories made grand, much less do we need another line of heroes with a last name: a Sharif or a Bhutto. With apologies, but enough is enough.
William James pointed out “The greatest discovery of my generation is that they can alter their lives by altering their attitudes of minds.” Real and sustainable change in our country can only come about if we become the very change we seek. We do not need a Godot to engineer our transformation. Imran Khan or any other hero, however noble his ambitions, does not carry any magical wand. Things are only going to take a turn when we all agree to it and then follow it up with action. Our political leaders can then ride the high tides and look pretty. At any rate in Pakistan, our leaders, if not passive, are mostly responsive anyway.
The less kind correlate our hero worship with collective indolence. The invented myths concerning our heroes and their fictitious qualities are merely comforting thoughts. Our delusion keeps us merry which is an excuse to keep waiting for payambar to miraculously appear on the horizon. Alas our urge is satiated only by humbug. We will pray but we will not tie the camel. Tolstoy perhaps had us in mind when he wrote there are two sources of all vice: inactivity and speculation.
The writer works freelance.
You should Stop writing and start another profession so you do not have to worry about the future of Pakistan. If u cannot constructive criticize honest leadership than you should just leave them alone. Thanks for criticizing PPP and PMLN because they deserve it after 1990-2000 democratic stint. These two political parties did not do anything except lining their pocket with people’s money from Public treasury. Pakistan need to go through these election for the emergency of honest leadership to rise. If you feel that this is an exercise in futility than keep your mouth shut and let the people of Pakistan participate to prove your analysis wrong. Your profession is to provide good advise through honest deliberation of thought. If you want to attack people that worship human idol than attack people that are supporting PML N, PPP, MQM, PML Elahi group for worshipping people that did no work during their time in government to better the life of hardworking people of Pakistan. I suggest you look deep down in your heart to find a positive in people for the betterment of society. Imran khan might not be the clever politician or smart person but he is honest, trustworthy and capable leader. He runs his Political organization in line with the democratic principle and norms. If u have a problem with a Political Party that believes in Democratic principle than you should join a political party that does not believe in these principle and quit Journalism. Journalism is an important branch of democratic society that support the idea of Pluralism in society. I hope you feel the regret that I feel after reading you though on this subject. Democratic system is the need of the hour that can address the injustice inflicted upon people of Pakistan by dishosnest leader and family dynastic system of ruling elite. I do not want to accept my opinion but to keep an open mind for you to recognize improvement in the Political environment of Pakistan and betterment in the condition of the people of Pakistan after election. Change will not come fast but it will make a difference down the road when honest leadership will be in public office with public support. May Allah advice you better than what I read in this article. Ameen.
Who are you Sidster? Have you ever been in the company of the educated? Did you even understand what the writer is trying to argue here? I loved the way this writer has analysed our tendency to see individuals as messiahs. An excellent analysis and the author deserves the best space that our print media has to offer.
EVERY POLITICIAN INCLUDING IMRANKHAN NIAZI MUST BE SUBJECT TO CRITICAL ANALYSIS FOR ACCOUNTABILITY ..
your passion is admirable and sadly it also explains why i was tempted to write this article. best
In all honesty and fairness the writer has elaborated our blatant and uncontrolled exercise of worshiping people who are no more than mortals and our supposedly the representative of the populace , people who disregard our needs our rights , and yet they are cherished after their outrageous disregard of political duties . The reason PPP , PML-N and MQM exist is due to lack of conscious political thinking, that is the essence of democratic system. the jialas of ZAB still hail the name "bhutto" rather than a manifesto, the blood stained clothes of BB are enough to convince people that they should forget how the same party looted their federal revenue and had its part in the separation of east and west Pakistan.People forget that a minister created a party comprising of feudal lords,CSPs and yet they called it the PPP. People forget and then they become numb ,we are a politically dead nation, so sidster rather than vehemently criticising the writer's effort try thinking on these lines…"if people know what PML-N, PML-Q PPP and the MQM are doing , will they vote against these parties No the reason being plain and simple these are not political parties catering to the masses by their manifesto and POLITICAL PERFORMANCE but fan clubs that see the change in face but the name remaining the same(hamza shehbaz, bilawal, moonas) that see leadership based on inheritance the status quo is unquestioned this is due to the fans i.e us worshiping these figures without questioning their existence.
The west laughs at us " the prophet when battered and assaulted by people of taif prayed for the wrongdoers and patiently waited for them to see the light , we are so busy worshiping the personality that we forgot the essence of patience and forgiveness for even to the worst of enemies, we burnt our own cities in the name of the prophet."..so the writer is right in pointing out something to a phenomenon that is the status quo.
It is a sign of hero worship when people cannot even stand to hear anything said about those that they worship… You don't just like Imran Khan, you worship him… The fact that you want Mr. Ummar to quit writing, which I hope he won't, and to join another profession, which he has (being a lawyer) just proves that this article applies to you…
Nowhere did Mr. Ummar criticise Imran Khan. All he said was that we are all human… When people forget that and start thinking that a man is infallible, they get their hearts broken… Such are the exigencies of political office in particular, and of life in general… Denial won't get you anywhere…
“Imran khan as honest and sincere as he might be is still just a human”
Excellent analysis of the political trends in pakistan.
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Very Good read, and well written Ummar. Our problem is our fantasies! and the eternal belief on fairy tales. A super hero would come and make us better overnight!! and worst still, its been hammered in our minds that we are the best nation in world, which sadly we are no where near!!…
Brilliant and very balanced analysis. Keep it up Ummar Bhai!!
i do not worship hero Imran Kha but admire his successes and his stance on corruption free Pakistan.
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