Daily Times

According to the latest academic thinking, we are supposed to be wracked with jealousy whenever we see another person’s outsized success. Humans are wired to be jealous. I have often wondered what drives some people to the political jealousy and others to the political envy. Faith and self-confidence apparently play some role. There are other factors, too.

But at the bottom, I have always suspected that politicians are more prone to suffer jealousy acutely. If Imran Khan were serious about social justice — as he always claims — then he would give more time and consideration to his thoughts. He would not have, as recently pointed out in his internal party meeting, been branding international players who came for the Pakistan Super League PSL final as ‘phateechar’.

Cue the outrage machine. Imran Khan launched a heated personal attack against PSL players ridiculing their professional background and test cricket status. “I don’t even know the name of any of these so-called foreign players. It seems they just picked up players from wherever. Picked some from Africa and called them foreign players,” said Khan. He spoke about those who are less able and remarks them as “marginal”, and “foker” (colloquial term used in cricket club culture meaning not outstanding) in an interview with Hamid Mir in Capital Talk TV show as if they were some kind of sub-species. Quite naturally this fumed people on social media who have called the remarks “unpleasant, careless elitism.”

Imran Khan presents as a man who has an exaggerated feeling of self-importance, an excessive need for admiration, and a lack of understanding of others’ feelings. He insists that he is always right and is convinced in spite of the evidence that PSL final has been a success that it was not a good idea due to terror threats.

What does this mean for pride in politics? A leader with an overweening, compulsive ego finds it difficult to learn or change: What of worth can others possibly teach? A narcissistic leader finds it difficult to feel sympathy for those regarded as failures and losers and is always at enmity with other people and groups, and cannot be a unifying figure. As Abraham Lincoln displayed, the capacity to heal requires humility and empathy.

What is he really annoyed at? Maybe PSL organisers had a successful final in Lahore, and it can now claim to bring international cricket back to Pakistan. Imran Khan has been criticised for his remarks condemning the PSL for hitting a new low. If most of us are ashamed of shabby players and shoddy tournaments, let us be more ashamed of shabby ideas and shoddy philosophies.

Why he thinks PSL has not been a successful tournament is something he has not explained. Then he insists on taking the credit for being the first to introduce the idea of regional cricket in the country. When reminded of the Capital Talkinterview that there was not a single player from Balochistan in the Quetta Gladiators team he admits that he is not aware of the PSL team players but repeatedly reminds that it was his idea and he has been talking about regional cricket for over 40 years.

Not only has he wanted to be always right, but he alsodenies his previous statements without any hesitations as a shrewd tactic politician. It would have helped if he had also explained why, in the times when he has significant influence and is in power, no efforts were made toward bringing the crisis in the cricket to an end. It is pretty easy to be dismissive of others’ work, but it is bizarre when one’s own failure to do anything positive regarding the issue in question is so much in the spotlight.

As to the jealousy factor raised by the social media, to which he would certainly disregard, Najam Sethi, Chairman PSL has been a political thorn in his side. Despite the problems he had run into with the security approval, Najam Sethi now remains a repository of public respect. But to suggest that the PSL had invited ‘phateechar’ international cricket players in a derogatory way is to make an attempt at bad humour if it is indeed humour.

More significantly, such a statement is reflective of a lack of political acumen in the one making it. Flippant statements from serious politicians or in his case a senior cricketer are never a good idea. The reputation which Imran Khan has so far been one of a politician who means honesty and whose comments go to the core of public issues. That reputation will surely get scratches with statements like the one he has just made.

Imran Khan is the only one in his party to have disappointed us in recent days. Pervez Khan Khattak and Asad Umar have gone before the media recognising the efforts for PSL final in Lahore. Criticisms are of course welcome, but when they turn out to be knee-jerk reactions to personal bias, it is worry that takes over. Politics is serious business. PTI and every other party which thinks like it should take this truth seriously.

In my professional opinion, we know that pride is often at the root of resentment, rivalry, jealousy, antagonism, greed and a desire for revenge. It is the unifying conviction of psychoanalysts that people eventually come to the end of their ego and then look upward; upward from the foot of the pride. For some, this humility comes naturally. For others, it involves humiliation, failure or loss- what some might call being a loser. But it is precisely at this point of surrender and insight that sensible maturity is braced. They are often then closest to be best liked.

The writer is a professor of Psychiatry and Consultant Forensic Psychiatrist in the UK. He can be contacted at fawad_shifa@yahoo.com