Daily Times

Some surprises but no major surprise at all. This was all expected and anticipated. I am referring to the recent row between the apex court and our angry former cricket captain-turned-philanthropist-turned-politician Mr Imran Khan. Many gifted analysts and legal gurus have penned their commentaries and opinions about this entire episode. Needless to say that neither am I gifted and nor a guru of any sorts. I am just an observer, watching this entire scene unfold.

Let’s take a moment to revisit Logic 101. According to Mr Khan, he accepts the winning majority of the ruling party in the elections of May 2013. However, he rejects the results of certain constituencies and levels certain charges against a certain institution as a whole. In the ideal scenario from Mr Khan’ perspective, if the election results are nullified in those disputed constituencies, and the elections are held again, and even if the candidates of Mr Khan’s PTI win, the electoral map will not change significantly. One has to sit and wonder then why there is so much hue and cry and why such a long drama. But as usual, Mr Khan’s contention is that he is doing so because it is a matter of his principles. To prove any such irregularities, Mr Khan will have to provide irrefutable evidence and one has to assume that he might have some. We are almost three months into the elections and Mr Khan’s contention is still lingering. Any other place or person the planet would have moved on.

The other side of the coin for some to ponder is if Mr Khan has accepted the results of other constituencies of the aforementioned election, including and not limited to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, where his party has formed a government as well, then why is there no doubt or reservations about the electoral results in those areas? Is it a matter of principle or a matter of ego here that Mr Khan wants to prove a certain point? Above all, as an ordinary observer, I hold this ordinary opinion that the right forum to lodge, register, pursue and protest would be the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP). Getting the apex court involved by levelling some serious charges, of course, will result in the situation that unfolded in front of all of us on August 2 in Islamabad.

Mr Khan’s supporters, who were championing the apex court and its stance towards the former Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani, have switched sides, perhaps overnight, and are now being critical of the Supreme Court. Very typical of our ‘Khanistas’ to tilt towards their leader’s tilt and move just like pre-programmed toys. All of this is surprising to some but not yours truly. Because his cult-like followers see the qualities of a messiah in Mr Khan and would go to any lengths to prove their solidarity with their saviour. A minor detail that Mr Khan and his faithful supporters often overlook is that politics is not a straight line at all. There are lots of twists and a whole lot of turns. You end up making amends with your worst adversaries in order to get the desired objective. A prime example was the previous government’s reconciliation with the PML-Q, who was the sidekick of their ‘tormentor’ at one time. But nothing is constant in life, politics or business. All have one thing in common, and that is change.

Now lets’ move towards the honourable court’s notice sent to Mr Khan because of certain of his remarks. Well, in principle the apex court has all the legal right to question the supposedly contemptuous remarks of Mr Khan. But one has to seek forgiveness and ask with utmost humility of the Lordships (borrowing the term from a very senior and one of my favourite columnists, Mr Ayaz Amir), as I certainly do not want to join the ranks of Mr Khan. Thy Lordship admonished Mr Khan on August 2 by warning him that once he submitted his written response to the apex court by August 28, it would be seen who will be truly ‘embarrassed’.

Again, with utmost humility, one may highlight that such remarks do not fare well when it comes to the carrying of justice. It gives the impression that a judgment has been rendered and that too in advance. As much as one may disagree with Mr Khan and his politicking, one may say with utmost humility that he deserves a hearing that is fair, neutral and unbiased.

With that being said, one has to point something out about the ‘free of sense’ electronic media yet again. The nightly circus has made a mountain out of a molehill so to speak. Agreed that we all live in the electronic age and every single move of the political celebrities is broadcast and beamed live to millions of homes 24/7. Every such move is transformed into ‘breaking news’ and the inane music follows to heighten the sense of the viewers and literally forces them to pay attention to these developments. The politicos along with cankers, oops, I meant anchors, have to hash it all out with never ending arguments and innuendos every night. It is at those moments that one wishes that we can go back in time and have a singular channel like the PTV of yesteryears and that too in black and white. The famous Urdu saying if loosely translated in English would definitely hold true: “If the bamboo will become extinct, how would you play a flute.”

The writer is a Pakistani-American mortgage banker. He blogs at http://dasghar.blogspot.com and can be reached at dasghar@aol.com He tweets at http://twitter.com/dasghar