On October 30, 2011, the kaptaan’s (captain’s) Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) emerged on the political horizon as a force to be reckoned with. The chants were loud and clear: “Kaun bachaye ga Pakistan (Who will save Pakistan)? Imran Khan, Imran Khan.” In 1940, Minto Park was where Maulana Fazalul Haq presented the Lahore Resolution that ultimately resulted in the creation of Pakistan on August 14, 1947. It was here, in 1971, under the Quaid’s Minar-e-Pakistan that Zulfikar Ali Bhutto announced “Idhar hum, udhar tum”, which led to the dismemberment of the country. Mian Abdul Khaliq, who built the Minar-e-Pakistan, was himself a worker of the Pakistan Movement. He put his heart and soul into the venture as it was his labour of love. Hafiz Jalandhari, who penned the national anthem, is also buried here. It is a towering structure that has seen the rise and fall of the motherland. Pakistan, the first Islamic democracy of the world, was derailed on October 27, 1958 when Ayub Khan abrogated the 1956 constitution and imposed military rule. Since then the forces of the status quo have taken firm control of the country and its vital institutions. In 1971, the people of West Pakistan stood behind Zulfikar Bhutto as he challenged the evil empire. The 1973 constitution brought hope and direction to the nation. The jackals struck back. Bhutto was toppled and then eliminated. After two martial laws (1977 and 1999), the forces of change finally came together on October 30, 2011 to reclaim and rebuild Quaid’s Pakistan. On the stage that day was Imran Khan with his team of untainted comrades who had weathered several storms with him. Change seemed inevitable; there were in the crowd families and children together with the youth. The Takht-e-Lahore and the men in black got together and launched an operation to derail the movement as it was done in October 1958 and July 1977. Zia called it ‘Operation Fair Play’ but in 2011 it can be termed ‘Operation Foul Play’.On December 25, 2011, after 56 days, Operation Foul Play had been carried out. On the stage that day, at Mazar-e-Quaid with the kaptaan were the same old political players who had served usurpers and their evil designs. It was the proverbial ‘old wine in new bottles’. Individuals who were responsible for creating the mess the country was in were now posing to clean it. The party and the movement had been clearly hijacked. The Lahore jalsa (rally) comprised of the original team of old comrades, untainted soldiers of change who had not served usurpers and dictators and not indulged in any kind of oath taking (Islamic, socialist, liberal, dictatorial). Change was in the air, and the memories and hopes of 1940 and 1971 came back. The Karachi jalsa was different; the so-called electables were all over the stage. Each one of them wanted the public to see them with the kaptaan. Who was behind this operation? On whose agenda the stalwarts of the status quo came in droves on the platform of change? Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and his party of ‘roti, kapra and makaan’ (food, clothing and shelter) were hijacked in six years (1971 to 1977). Why was the operation so ruthless and expeditious against the PTI (56 days)? The only answer that comes to mind is that real change had become visible and achievable, which had to be stalled at all costs, and tremors of change were being felt in the corridors of power.In 1970, the forces of the status quo were not prepared for an open election on the basis of one man one vote. Secondly, Bhutto in West Pakistan and Mujibur Rehman in East Pakistan were not taken seriously. The PPP had to file unknown but untainted candidates like Dr Mubashir Hassan, Mairaj Khalid, Hanif Ramay, Sheikh Rashid (Baba-e-Socialism), Sheikh Rafiq Ahmed, Hafeez Kardar, S M Masood, Sadiq Hussain Qureshi, Iftikhar Tari, Dr Muhammed Khalique, Khurshid Hasan Mir, Ahmed Raza Kasuri and Hayat Sherpao to name a few. Riding the agenda of change they prevailed over political heavyweights like Chaudhry Zahoor Elahi, Chaudhry Muhammaed Hasan, Yasin Wattoo, Anwar Bhinder, Mumtaz Daultana, Nawabzada Nasrullah Khan, S M Zafar, Ahmed Saeed Kirmani, Fazalul Qadir Chaudhry, Masood Sadiq and Mian Salahuddin. The evil empire is not willing to let go. Untainted leadership has the capacity to end the derailment of Pakistan and bring it back on track. Like all other tamed, corrupt and subservient political parties, the PTI is fast losing its moral authority by letting in tainted politicians who have been a part of evil networks in the past. Sovereignty of a nation can only be protected by honest democratic leadership. What had started with the murder of the first prime minister of Pakistan can only be reversed with an undisputed ballot and clean leadership. For the PTI, it is time to look inwards while the suffering people of Pakistan pray for a messiah to liberate them from the forces of stagnation. ‘Lota-ocracy’ (switching sides) and electability only work when the ballot is tainted, which then results in a subservient parliament/government. In a free and fair election only the able and honest prevail; unblemished credibility and service to the nation are the deciding factors. The writer is the ex-chairman of the Pakistan Science Foundation and can be contacted at Fmaliks@hotmail.com