Daily Times

A struggle spanning over a period of 22 years finally bore fruit. From being called a ‘Tanga’ party that is a one-man show to bagging over hundred seats in the national assembly to become the majority party in the recent elections, Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has seen many highs and lows.

This success did not come easy, and anything that is worth having hardly ever comes easy. Only Khan had the grit and perseverance to achieve what he had once thought. His years of training as a cricket have taught him how to fight battles others would have accepted defeat in.

All this while, few of those who initiated the struggle in 1997 stood till the end when Imran Khan crossed the victory line. The oft-repeated argument was that Khan is too idealistic for a country like Pakistani — a place where a baradari votes, and feudal lords rule supreme; the place where there is a dearth of opinionated, educated, and rational-thinking individuals. Imran’s vision was called a fool’s paradise.

In the last decade or so, we have seen Imran Khan evolve as a politician. The person who abhorred the idea of career politicians had to make way for them. Khan must be reminded that the same electables have always stood hand-in-hand with the brokers of power

In the last decade or so, we have seen Imran Khan evolve as a politician. The person who abhorred the idea of career politicians had to make way for them. Electables are custom-built career politicians who set their sails with the direction of the wind. For them, contingencies are more important than ideals; and their personal interests are more important for them than any national or party interest. We saw the same electables coming in hordes into Pakistan Muslim League — Nawaz (PML-N) in 2013,and the same made their way into PTI in 2018 after sensing a change in the direction of the wind.

But the issue is that the loyal cadre that made Khan the politician he is, left when electables superseded them. Fauzia Kasuri and Naz Baloch were passionate PTI workers, and one could never think that they would leave.

Similarly, the ideals of diehard followers Khan were seemingly compromised as well. Khan’s followers are idealistic just like he was — when they saw him acting the same way other politicians have in the past, they bowed out.

It was frequently overheard that the audience that came out for the historic 2011 Minar-e-Pakistan jalsa felt disillusioned after seeing Khan in power in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Once in power, Khan found it hard to translate his ideals into action. The clichéd statement that corruption will be eliminated from the country in 90 days now looks like a pipedream.

Whether Naya Pakistan will be what Imran Khan has regurgitated to the nation each day or if it will be of the sort of political expediency that stands the need of the hour, remains to be seen. The ideals that Khan stood for in 1997 stand supreme. The roots of PTI are there. Let’s see what the future holds

For the rest of his supporters and followers, Khan tested their faith by engaging with the abhorred electables. The move was pragmatic, and without this manoeuvring instead of celebrating victory the party could be side-lined just as it was in 2013.

Kudos to all for having shown their faith in Khan as the hope is still alive. But the faith has to be reciprocated in an identical light.

For his supporters and voters, making Khan the prime minister was never the end, as has often been repeated by Khan himself. It is a means to an end. The nation has shown its outright faith and provided Khan with the means to deliver on the promises he has been making for decades.

Khan must be reminded that the same political electable class has always stood hand-in-hand with the brokers of power. The difference is that the leader is different this time around. Only time will tell whether Khan will be steering the political class or if will be the other way around. In the latter case, we will be disappointed, and will never vote for any person even pretending to be Imran Khan in the future.

Whether Naya Pakistan will be what Imran Khan has regurgitated to the nation each day or if it will be of the sort of political expediency that stands the need of the hour, remains to be seen.

The ideals that Khan stood for in 1997 stand supreme. The roots of PTI are there. Let’s see what the future holds.

The writer is a Political Analyst with interest in Pakistan’s history and politics. He tweets at @daniyalarif and is accessible at daniyalarifsaeed@gmail.com

Published in Daily Times, July 29^th 2018.