I have always been a fan. And I have always been among those who had greatest hopes from him when he jumped into the dirty world of politics to rid it of all the dirt. I always believed him and have always been convinced he's the best (of the worst rest as Cowasjee puts it often for a certain few). And now even more than before I hope Imran Khan could lead Pakistan, since Pakistan has gone to the lower form of politicians and after these the next turn would also be with a diff yet similar breed.
However, I must say I never knew him or believed in him for his ideologies or his agendas or his manifestos; I, and millions of other Pakistanis young and old alike believed and still believe in him because he's the cleanest and the best of those available and above that he is by all means a patriotic Pakistani who has given Pakistan much more than many other self proclaimed servants of awaam. His sport career, Pakistan's rise to becoming a Cricket champion, his hospital are all highly commendable and industrious achievements worthy of a leader and social welfare worker.
In that light when he jumped into politics a few tactful swings and spins as well as suitable write-work and timely strikes were expected and desired of him by his supporters. AT that time he made an ultimate mistake of confusing politics with sport. Also thereby forgetting that there is even some politics on the playing field and a successful captain or player must maneuver successfully around it, not leave the field altogether. Besides he refused to accept the challenge presented by the dirty politics of Pakistan, which he had entered in the first place to clean. Why then the avoidance of the dirt when he had himself desired to jump into the pool which he knew was dirty?
Back in 2002 the entire nation was ripe with slogans such as 'Awaam ki hai aik hi raayi; Musharraf-o-Imran hi aaye'. It reflected how convenient it was for him to make a mark and begin a cleaning process by entering the pool of dirty politics by interning with or working as an entry-level employee under the grand master of Pakistani politcs (read COAS Pres) and beginning and learning better ways to serve the people and meanwhile devising strategies, agendas, manifestos and ideologies to work his own way. His mistake was that he thought like cricket he was going to be the prince of politics too. The very masses he banked on rebuked. Politics in Pakistan is dirty, and he knows it, yet he refused to understand the dynamics of local, urban, rural politics and it's workings in the minds of the poor deprived hopeless and helpless people of Pakistan. And he chose to try and clean the dirty pool from outside; without diving in and playing surf along the waves or defeating the dirt at its own game.
He was too quick in opposing the powers of the time and judging them too emotionally on a scale of perfection. To say the least it was the biggest mistake in a land where nothing is perfect. As per Pakistani values even Imran's own past is not as flawless as people would have desired. He's lucky people have overlooked all the intimate stories of his personal life, because in a conservative and close-minded society like ours, such deeds are seldom forgiven by the self-righteous masses and their leaders.
His next mistake came when he refused to identify with the threats and problems of terrorism and came up with his version. everyone knew what he said; that the rots of terrorism have to be identified. Everyone believed in that theory till 3 years ago. Now with the amount of terrorism nobody wants to give a crap what the reasons are; we just want to get rid of the inbred freaks who ravage Pakistan. In adapting a different stance he again opposed the governments decisions to combat the threats and identified more with the militant bias. thereby probably gaining frowns from the bigger powers of the world.
His other mistake came rather recently when he attacked a political party and its leadership of various uncalled for traits and inciting a racist and personal feud. it brought no good other than dividing people of Pakistan yet more. And over the past 3 years he has only done issue-based politcs and has tried invain to cash in on popular sentiments and momentum gaining issues. He was against the govt when ex CJ iftikhar was removed, he was against the govt when la Masji ops took place, he was against the elections as he thought they were unfair and rigged, he's been against use of army on western borders. You name it; he's tried to cah in on it, but to little significant avail.
Lastly the fruit of all his mistakes has been the raw and aching fact that after over 10 years in politics he is worth no more than 1 seat in the parliament; after his 3rd election in the political career within 10 years he got elected only once-that too during the dictatorship that he so despised; in his 11th year in politics he again failed to make it to the parliament of the so-called democrats and missed being in company of the many democratic leaders of the two main parties that opposed and smudged him and his name in a die-hard battle of pre election allegations back in 1997; nor did he find or make any of his party members emerge worthy enough to carry his or the party's name into parliament or to any other significant arena; his image is now that of a confused rebel who's even confused about being rebellious; he has never made any solid commitment- he is so baseless at times he even sits and grins with his own worst enemies who were thirsty for his blood in the past and used every technique to ridicule him; he feels Nawaz, Qazi etc are his friends; he failed to realize who his real well wishers were and what the people expected of him; he remains sitting beside the dirty pool thinking and screaming of one day cleaning it...He can stay sitting till such time that he realizes it's a game of rugby not catch in KG with your tecaher supervising.
The sad truth is though, for the next 5 years and even more he is destined to stay out, unless of course there are any rapid changes. The game of catch has initiated between Nawaz and Bhutto-Zardaris yet again. Where he comes into the larger scheme of things is a fact not many can deny. While the public grinds its teeth watching the man they believed was the one to change their fate sit ldly.
We can believe in him all we want, we can trust him, support him, hope for him, wish for him to be PM or President; but the question is, what can we the helpless Pakistanis do when the man cannot maneuver himself wisely enough to land into the corridors of power and at teals begin doing something good for the Pakistanis and their Pakistan rather than just sit, watch and feel disgusted at the dirt. What good are his credentials if he can only talk and never do anything.
STILL, after Gen Musharraf, I always did and will believe he is the best we have. Now that Gen Musharraf is out, no doubt we don't have any leader of his caliber and tact around, I believe, hope and pray like always that Imran Khan can somehow someway rise and lead and eve Pakistan. Even when gen Musharraf was around I echoed the "Musharraf-o-Imran hi aaye..." *slogan and now there's only Imran left in the picture I really hope *"Imran hi aaye" because with the Nawaz and Zardari-Bhuttos are the real wolves everyone forgot existed and mistook them for pious lambs. But for Imran's rise to happen, there's going to be war between Imran and Qazi, Zardari-Bhutto and Nawaz. How could they let their hard earned and controlled sections of society fall prey to the westernized, pro-Jew, playboy and illicit father become powerful in their Pakistan. Recall months following the elections in 1997.
Still hoping against hope, for Pakistan, he is the best medicine right now and I hope he can do somehting. Long live Imran Khan! I'm still willing to be his tiger!
The reason why I respect Imran alot is because he shunned Musharraf long time ago, even after being offered the premiership. A man has to stand up for what he believes in, and Imran did exactly that. I also respect his decision to boycott the elections under the dictator. However, now is the time for him to do some constructive work with his party.