Daily Times

Owing to the ongoing trials and breakdown of his dynastical politics, the sky has darkened in the oasis of the ousted prime minister, and this pandemonium is indirectly serving the cause of his arch-rival Imran Khan. It is the matter of the fact that the political horizon of Pakistan has always been dynamical, where political figures appear along the skylines: some of them get enough limelight to make through, but then in the very next turn suffer fiasco.

The mist along the outfield has faded to some extent, and the possible outcomes of forthcoming general elections are divulged. In his long and onerous strive, Imran Khan is, for the first time, likely to win the laurel. As the coveys of quail crops take flights to his camp, who enjoyed their terms in the office and now going to nestle there, to see Khan providing shelter to them is astonishing. These blacksheep are those he had to fight since the start. They may pave the way for him leading to the office,but by this very notion, he has breached his party axiom.

The change that he vowed to bring is still a far cry as with the inclusion of these old bees in his hive the political ideology of Khan himself is questionable. These shrewd are guilty in equal proportion in the harm that former ruling parties inflicted on Pakistan. This is the menace of the system and Khan must have demolished it rather than welcoming it to his ranks. These chameleonic figures have formed a cordon between Khan and his stand as he has compromised on the values of merit, transparency, accountability, the rule of law and democracy.

“Giving tickets to ‘electables’ is fine, but control of the party should rest with the ideological workers of the PTI. In fact, the electable should be working in their own constituencies not spending all their time at Bani Gala”

Khan has never been so lax about how public opines at his notions, as a democratic leader always cares for his reputation in masses. It has brought dismay in his supporters as well as his all-weather companions who sided with him in trying times as many of them have been deprived of their deserving positions in the party due to these time servers. Nomination tickets were given on the basis of relations which emphasises that change approaching Pakistan will be merely cosmetic. Miss Fauzia Kasuri left the party after she found herself unable to defend party’s actions. Earlier, addressing an event at Samundri, she said, “Giving tickets to ‘electable’ is fine, but control of the party should rest with the ideological workers of PTI. In fact, the electable should be working in their own constituencies not spending all their time at Bani Gala”. In retrospect, these electable have always affected policies, as in near past one can see the performance of PTI in KP.

In its role as opposition, PTI mended fences with every other party to serve its purpose. Khan’s party is facing an existential threat as it is following the old customs but people wanted Khan to behave like the new sheriff in town. “A change never goes by old lines or old laws but to break up both and make new ones,” said Abraham Lincoln.

Khan must have moved along the coastline of true leaders by showing his concern over the plight of common masses as the ruling government had affected the people adversely from every walk of life, by narrating his stance in their strikes and sit-ins as a leader never misses a chance to put his stance before people and by opposing the tyranny and exploitation of their rights. Various strikes and protests launched in this regime were an opportunity for him to appear on the scene and show affiliation to the people, but its agonising to see that all his strategy is to have a pack of beasts in his camp just for the sake of his numerical superiority. By all accounts change through PTI seems like a smokescreen.

Contrary to all this, Khan shows a better image of Pakistan to the world. I hope that if he is granted the opportunity to form a national government, he will strive to bring the change he once promised.

The writer can be reached at fk02061998@gmail.com

Published in Daily Times, May 29^th 2018.