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Prime Minister Imran Khan?
Global Village Space |
Syed Haider Raza Mehdi |
This is a six part article which traces the phenomenal rise of PTI, the disillusionment that set in, internal party struggles, the Panamagate revival, electoral prospects and the challenges Imran and PTI could face if and when they wins the election and form a government at the center.
A possible Prime Minister Imran Khan is perhaps the second most discussed question in Pakistan, after Panamagate. Will he or won’t he?
Will the “Khan” breast the tape, or join the ranks of the heart-achingly “also rans”? An Al Gore, an Asghar Khan, a Hillary Clinton!
Or will he, as he has done several times in the past, overcome seemingly insurmountable odds and emerge victorious, despite the challenges, and quite a few of his own creation, as his detractors and even some supporters say.
Read more: Why Imran Khan must NOT become the Prime Minister of Pakistan
It’s a tough question to answer, given the fickleness of this mistress called “politics.”
So despite my biases, here’s hoping an objective current perspective, also as fickle as the mistress of “politics!”
To try and figure out what’s going on, In addition to my personal insights, I recently spoke to a couple of dozen people connected to Imran; friend and foe, close associates and hardcore enemies, some still close, some silently withdrawn to the sidelines. Some publicly angry, some sulking on the sidelines and a few former die, hard friends, now his mortal political enemies. And of course, I spoke to the Khan himself!
The Rise of PTI and Imran Khan
So this is the story of PTI from a “Tonga Party” in 1996, to becoming arguably Pakistan’s most popular party and Imran its most popular political leader by 2017!
Arguably, I say, because many would disagree! And with much merit in their disagreements.
And it’s not a complete story but a story about things which I think matter.
No juicy tidbits of “clandestine one-night stands” or “midnight meetings with the Army Brass.”
Just plain old stuff!
So what did Imran tap into?
Like Bhutto before him, he tapped into a lot of things.
Read more: Fallout from Imran Khan’s bribery allegations; Hostilities escalate
Imran tapped into a nation, sick and tired of corruption, and desperate to get rid of a system which only benefited the privileged and the rich.
An anger which stemmed from decades of misrule, of military coups gone wrong, of pretentious messiahs with holier than thou demeanors, looting and plundering, victims of their own unbridled and insatiable greed for power, wealth, and power.
Imran tapped into a nation, sick and tired of corruption, and desperate to get rid of a system which only benefited the privileged and the rich.
A system bereft of meritocracy, transparency, and accountability.
A system where the rich and powerful were and are able to hijack a flimsy, tottering electoral process and in the name of “democracy” hoist themselves into power.
A system where all ruling groups, civil and military, through deliberate acts of commission or incompetent omissions, systematically destroyed institutions who could challenge them and stop their loot and plunder or deposing them.
A system which allowed desperate people to think that a military ruler, a dictator, an autocratic ruler would come and cleanse the Augean stables. And each time they found that all these “Messiahs” had feet of clay and all failed, leaving behind a system weaker than before!
But the key thing that he was able to tap into was the nation’s desperation for a political leader who had integrity and was honest. Someone they could trust! Whether today his rating on these attributes are as high as it was earlier is something we’ll address later.
I think several factors contributed to Imran’s political success to date.
Read more: Imran Khan’s Bribery claim adds to allegations of Nawaz’s questionable Modus Operandi!
He was and still is everything a traditional politician is not. He has no political background, no father to son political legacy. He is neither a feudal nor a rich businessman. Just a regular and a trifle privileged, middle-class Zaman Pak/Aitchison College boy, who goes to Oxford, lives the high life in the UK and becomes a cricketing icon.
And finally, catapults to super stardom in cricket-mad Pakistan by leading Pakistan to its first 1992 World Cup Victory. The second win, yesterday with the sweet taste still lingering may perhaps be Divine portents in his favor!
Read full article:
Prime Minister Imran Khan?
Global Village Space |
Syed Haider Raza Mehdi |
This is a six part article which traces the phenomenal rise of PTI, the disillusionment that set in, internal party struggles, the Panamagate revival, electoral prospects and the challenges Imran and PTI could face if and when they wins the election and form a government at the center.
A possible Prime Minister Imran Khan is perhaps the second most discussed question in Pakistan, after Panamagate. Will he or won’t he?
Will the “Khan” breast the tape, or join the ranks of the heart-achingly “also rans”? An Al Gore, an Asghar Khan, a Hillary Clinton!
Or will he, as he has done several times in the past, overcome seemingly insurmountable odds and emerge victorious, despite the challenges, and quite a few of his own creation, as his detractors and even some supporters say.
Read more: Why Imran Khan must NOT become the Prime Minister of Pakistan
It’s a tough question to answer, given the fickleness of this mistress called “politics.”
So despite my biases, here’s hoping an objective current perspective, also as fickle as the mistress of “politics!”
To try and figure out what’s going on, In addition to my personal insights, I recently spoke to a couple of dozen people connected to Imran; friend and foe, close associates and hardcore enemies, some still close, some silently withdrawn to the sidelines. Some publicly angry, some sulking on the sidelines and a few former die, hard friends, now his mortal political enemies. And of course, I spoke to the Khan himself!
The Rise of PTI and Imran Khan
So this is the story of PTI from a “Tonga Party” in 1996, to becoming arguably Pakistan’s most popular party and Imran its most popular political leader by 2017!
Arguably, I say, because many would disagree! And with much merit in their disagreements.
And it’s not a complete story but a story about things which I think matter.
No juicy tidbits of “clandestine one-night stands” or “midnight meetings with the Army Brass.”
Just plain old stuff!
So what did Imran tap into?
Like Bhutto before him, he tapped into a lot of things.
Read more: Fallout from Imran Khan’s bribery allegations; Hostilities escalate
Imran tapped into a nation, sick and tired of corruption, and desperate to get rid of a system which only benefited the privileged and the rich.
An anger which stemmed from decades of misrule, of military coups gone wrong, of pretentious messiahs with holier than thou demeanors, looting and plundering, victims of their own unbridled and insatiable greed for power, wealth, and power.
Imran tapped into a nation, sick and tired of corruption, and desperate to get rid of a system which only benefited the privileged and the rich.
A system bereft of meritocracy, transparency, and accountability.
A system where the rich and powerful were and are able to hijack a flimsy, tottering electoral process and in the name of “democracy” hoist themselves into power.
A system where all ruling groups, civil and military, through deliberate acts of commission or incompetent omissions, systematically destroyed institutions who could challenge them and stop their loot and plunder or deposing them.
A system which allowed desperate people to think that a military ruler, a dictator, an autocratic ruler would come and cleanse the Augean stables. And each time they found that all these “Messiahs” had feet of clay and all failed, leaving behind a system weaker than before!
But the key thing that he was able to tap into was the nation’s desperation for a political leader who had integrity and was honest. Someone they could trust! Whether today his rating on these attributes are as high as it was earlier is something we’ll address later.
I think several factors contributed to Imran’s political success to date.
Read more: Imran Khan’s Bribery claim adds to allegations of Nawaz’s questionable Modus Operandi!
He was and still is everything a traditional politician is not. He has no political background, no father to son political legacy. He is neither a feudal nor a rich businessman. Just a regular and a trifle privileged, middle-class Zaman Pak/Aitchison College boy, who goes to Oxford, lives the high life in the UK and becomes a cricketing icon.
And finally, catapults to super stardom in cricket-mad Pakistan by leading Pakistan to its first 1992 World Cup Victory. The second win, yesterday with the sweet taste still lingering may perhaps be Divine portents in his favor!
Read full article:
Prime Minister Imran Khan?
