While he fell 14 feet from a forklift, his popularity soared higher than K-2. And for the first time in a long time it felt the conscience of a country had jerked awake. The shockwaves were felt not only in Pakistan, rather worldwide: in Oslo, London, Chicago, wherever there were Pakistanis quietly safeguarding a hope that their country can walk — walk, not crawl — out of its present-day state of crisis and its seemingly perpetual reputation of a state in crisis. From an election perspective too, it could not have been timed better, occurring only four days before Pakistanis take to the polls.
From his hospital bed, Khan delivered an emotional address that sent heartrending shivers down the spines of innumerable Pakistanis. He said, in a tone both feeble and impassioned: “Seventeen years of my life have been spent fighting for Pakistan. I have done all that I could. Now I want you to stand up and take responsibility. 11 May is your war, you have to fight it.”
It is the kind of stuff movies are made of; that tear-jerking scene that raises the conscience of a people, and one by one everyone shouts, “I am Spartacus!” If there was anyone still on the fence, this incident swayed the vote.
Pakistan is embroiled in a disturbingly vast array of issues, including widespread poverty, sectarianism and communalism, violent Islamic extremism, separatist movements, and power cuts of up to 18 hours daily in some areas. Most if not all Pakistanis — including the cynics — harbour a humble hope that their country be lifted out of this quagmire, and for many that hope started to fall when Khan did.
Why? Because for better or worse Khan has come to be Pakistan’s only symbol of hope/change, or indeed of a Naya (New) Pakistan, as his party motto goes. Whether you agree or disagree with him, he has introduced a new voice to Pakistani politics. His stature has risen beyond that of a sports icon or a playboy; the educated and articulate manner with which he speaks alone sets him apart from the oddballs who wax poetic and/or perversely, and have hitherto hogged the political scene in Pakistan. There is an honesty and integrity about Khan that has won him a growing number of fans; these qualities have been further highlighted and hailed since his video message from the hospital.
The May 11 elections mark the first time in the country’s turbulent history that a civilian government has completed its term in office, without collapsing from coup or crisis. This is a historic moment for Pakistan. The ‘usual suspects’ — Pakistan People’s Party and Pakistan Muslim League — have been tried and tested. With international attention focused on Pakistan, and an unforgiving domestic audience — emboldened by the courts and media (two increasingly powerful institutions in Pakistan) — the country is under pressure to show that its stripes have changed. It is not a failing or a failed state; it can and will change. In this backdrop Khan surfaces as a saviour.
Khan’s party has mobilised the youth vote; his impeccable, fraud-free record (barring ball-tampering rumours) and staunch anti-corruption stance, along with his outright opposition to the US drone campaign in Pakistan has won him significant credibility and respect in and outside Pakistan. According to 2012 Pew surveys, anti-Americanism is at its peak in Pakistan with 74 percent believing the US to be an enemy; Khan’s political views reflect and even endorse this sentiment.
Pollsters had indicated that Khan’s party is likely to receive anywhere between 15-30 seats. However, in the aftermath of his fall it is likely this number will grow. Many, including Khan supporters, have been wary of his alliance with religious parties, and the direction that is likely to take Pakistan in the future. One can continue to hope that this expediency does not stand in the way of his principles.
It seems, as of now, that Imran Khan, along with bringing sexy back, promises to bring back the country’s self-respect.
The writer is an Oslo-based researcher and freelance writer