Daily Times

Many are calling Imran Khan the agent of change in Pakistan. Imran Khan, a person supported and backed by a majority of the urban youth in the country, is eyeing a major victory in the next elections. Pakistan, a country traditionally ruled and governed by dynastic politicians, is undoubtedly longing for change. However, its history suggests otherwise. But the question still remains: who will bring this change? Is it Imran Khan and his party, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), or the same agent of change that always comes uninvited and leaves of its own choice? Even if Imran Khan’s historic Lahore congregation is taken as an indication that he has support in Lahore, the traditional stronghold of the Sharif brothers, even then his high hopes of bringing about change all over the country remain dubious.

Imran Khan, a cricketer-turned-politician, is undoubtedly regarded highly, both in the national and international political arena. However, his personal success cannot be the sole reason why the 180 million people of this country should consider voting for him in the next elections. Imran Khan has remained controversial over a number of issues, including both his personal and political lives. For instance, Imran has been termed as the ‘sweet face of Jamaat-e-Islami’ by many in the past. However, now his most recent take over the Pak-India relationship has raised many eyebrows. He has assured the Indian side that, if he succeeds in the next elections, he will take stern action against the head of Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD), Hafiz Saeed, and those involved in the Mumbai attacks. According to many analysts, this assurance of his contradicts his demands of halting the drone programme, which has resulted in the deaths of many civilians. Imran Khan talks about bringing the estranged Taliban and other militant groups into the mainstream, mostly through dialogue, which is yet another contradiction. Imran also strongly believes in the fundamentals of an Islamic state. However, whenever he faces the international media he talks about a free market economy and other liberal concepts, which in a way are contradictory in nature.

This is not to say that Imran Khan is incapable of bringing change to the country. However, an agenda is needed to support the kind of tall claims that Imran Khan is making. Apart from major cities and constituencies in the country, representatives of Imran Khan’s party are nowhere else to be seen. So if, let us say, the population wants to vote for Imran Khan, particularly those residing in far-flung areas, then who would they be voting for? The PTI lacks representatives in a majority of the areas of the country and even if the representatives are there they are not known to the public. Recently, a couple of well-known and seasoned politicians announced their allegiance to the PTI, but that too is not evident of the fact that Imran Khan’s party has gained any political mileage.

I have been using the name Imran Khan instead of that of his party, the PTI, because I do not see a party that has its roots in the public space. It, too, is a party that is dominated by a figure who is considered a ‘hero’ because he won a world cup for the country. Imran Khan’s personality overshadows the party and that is a fact known to every person in the country, even his followers. In that way, his party will not be different from the parties that are criticised by him and his followers as being dynastic in nature.

As said earlier, Imran Khan’s party lacks an agenda, one that he promised to present at the Lahore congregation. Whatever was presented was a vague collection of changes that he wishes to bring if his party is brought into power in the next elections. A clear plan to uplift the economy was totally absent in his arguments. He only emphasised the need for politicians to declare their assets and the taxes they pay, which has never happened in the history of this country.

One of the major policy matters in Pakistan is its foreign policy, particularly related to India, Afghanistan, the US, Saudi Arabia and China. Imran stresses an equal relationship with the US, which is based on friendship. As said earlier, he has assured India of cooperation in the Mumbai attacks case but this cooperation goes against the traditional stance that Pakistan has maintained against India. He also needs to define a clear and workable foreign policy for Afghanistan, Saudi Arabia and China.

Terrorism is the most intimidating issue that Pakistan is facing. Imran Khan talks about handling this issue through dialogue and by bringing the estranged groups/organisations into the mainstream, which I think is not practical considering the track record of these organisations and what they have done to the country and its inhabitants.

Imran needs to sort out and present a clear and workable solution for every problem in this country otherwise his tall claims will face the same end as faced by other political parties in the country. Allegations of corruption have resulted in the dismissal of many a government in Pakistan. Imran, too, suggests corruption as the root cause for many problems in the country. Let us see if he succeeds in meting out a solution for this problem that is affecting everyone. Imran Khan needs to go deep down, right down to the grass roots level, if he desires a change.

The writer is a development consultant. She can be reached at coordinator@individualland.com