Those whom the gods wish to destroy they first make mad" - so says an ancient heathen proverb!
The recent state of complete chaos, crackdowns and crooked ways to curb civil liberties by a highly confused, corrupt, and callous autocrat, garbed in the attire of democracy, manifests evidently as to whom the gods made mad! Should complete destruction of those made mad be away? It doesn't seem so.
That the menace of corruption needs to be addressed and that those in the corridors of power as revealed internationally being beneficiaries of undeclared assets worth billions apparently way beyond their declared means and sources of income, coupled with the questions of paid taxes, of mode and trail of money transfer etc need answers, was the consensus of all political forces. Indeed it became the hottest topic of public and political debate but that exactly is what it remained for next many long months despite cosmetic efforts, for public consumption, of building consensus on TORs, of making the PM answerable to the parliament, of drafting special laws regarding the matter. But unfortunately, it remained just a political rhetoric; nothing more, nothing less. As far as the efficacy of the parliament is concerned, neither any question of joint opposition was answered by the PM in it, nor a single law enacted to pursue the matter. Even some of the institutions like NAB. FIA, FBR, SECP, SBP were able to either bully their way out of an impotent parliament or outsmart it by suave manoeuvring. The parliament's redundancy made itself overwhelmingly obvious in not being able to address one of the biggest national issues on the floor of the house and more importantly in its complete ineffectiveness in questioning the inaction of the concerned institutions. This shameless, public display of unwillingness to hold the mighty Sharifs accountable evidently reflects the lack of will on part of all the relevant institutions including the parliament, to seriously pursue the issues relating to mega corruption. BUT how and why would they act in any way different to this poor inactivity, when almost all of them, including most of the kittens in the parliament, called upon to bell the big cat, need the belling themselves? A legal and moral issue was muddled into politics so badly that it appeared to being consigned to the dustbin of political garbage; time wasted on purpose and in futility to let the matter fizzle out and be swept under the carpet. The whole nation was thus successfully put behind the now proverbial 'truck ki laal batti'!
That, however was not the gods' desire; the gods' had not destined it to be so!
Imran Khan, a pariah of the powerful political status quo elite, perished their dreams of getting away scott free yet again. Having realised the futility of expecting accountability from compromised institutions and having identified the trojan horses in opposition alliance, he announced public protests and thus jumped ahead into practical action exposing all those left behind for their duplicity and hypocrisy. As the anxiety of the government started rising, there came the scary revelation of 'planted' security leaks, clearly pointing towards the highest executive office of the state. First signs of extreme panic had started showing in top government echelons. Meanwhile, undeterred by the smearing and spiteful public campaign against his person, Imran Khan went ahead with his call for protests and successfully blocked the panicked heads in power with one magic word 'lock-down'! Initially the agitation call wasn't paid much heed to, and run of the mill, business as usual routine continued, until a massive show of street power was put on display at a stone's throw distance from the palatial abode of the royal Sharif family; so rang the first alarm bell. The second alarm bell resonated during a public gathering at Kohat where the PM was forced to cut his visit short to a meagre fifteen minute of nervous appearance, in the face of a violent protest, clashes and clouds of thick black smoke rising right next to the venue of his gathering.
That, however was not the gods' desire; the gods' had not destined it to be so!
Imran Khan, a pariah of the powerful political status quo elite, perished their dreams of getting away scott free yet again. Having realised the futility of expecting accountability from compromised institutions and having identified the trojan horses in opposition alliance, he announced public protests and thus jumped ahead into practical action exposing all those left behind for their duplicity and hypocrisy. As the anxiety of the government started rising, there came the scary revelation of 'planted' security leaks, clearly pointing towards the highest executive office of the state. First signs of extreme panic had started showing in top government echelons. Meanwhile, undeterred by the smearing and spiteful public campaign against his person, Imran Khan went ahead with his call for protests and successfully blocked the panicked heads in power with one magic word 'lock-down'! Initially the agitation call wasn't paid much heed to, and run of the mill, business as usual routine continued, until a massive show of street power was put on display at a stone's throw distance from the palatial abode of the royal Sharif family; so rang the first alarm bell. The second alarm bell resonated during a public gathering at Kohat where the PM was forced to cut his visit short to a meagre fifteen minute of nervous appearance, in the face of a violent protest, clashes and clouds of thick black smoke rising right next to the venue of his gathering.
It was against this backdrop that Imran Khan's call, of the 'lock-down' was attended to, by the governments, both federal and Punjab!
Thereon began the battle of nerves, the heat of which melted all left-over traces of sense down the drain and the royal family in its last ditched effort to undo the clear and unambiguous writing on the wall resorted to a string of supressive measures and abuse of law hitherto unprecedented under a democratic set-up! What followed is too familiar to repeat again, courtesy live streaming through DSNG vans of various TV channels. The world witnessed an inhuman excessive use of force and political victimisation. Mass arrests, raids, abductions torture and blackmailing, in addition to restrictions on movement, speech and public gathering were used unabashedly, as tools of suppression, flouting every law of the land including the Constitution. Punjab remained under complete virtual curfew for almost three days and KPK literally cut off from the federation for about as many days. Two provinces of the federation were locked down, much before Nov 2; all this, without Imran Khan having moved his little finger and without breaking a single law! The magic word 'lock-down' had done the trick. Much before the rulers could realise the actual consequences of submitting unconditionally to SCP, on whatever terms the apex court deemed fit, the consent was given. Any and all conditions for accountability, including the making of a fully empowered commission, under a sitting Judge of the SCP, with the TORs of SCP's liking, were promptly accepted. The royal Sharif family was thus brought to its knees, with its pride battered and image bruised, chained as an infamous accused it was laid helplessly bare at the mercy of Supreme Court to account for its wealth. Imran Khan, like a skillful huntsman, successfully snared it to a corner of his own liking, a morass from which there is no easy escape. The rogue lion, as it turned out, was but easy game and belling of the big cat, not impossible as perceived; all it took, was commitment, resolve and sincerity to a just cause. Imran Khan had it all and he single handedly achieved what all other relevant state institutions and all political forces couldn't achieve collectively.
In the hindsight as the dust from the political battlefield settles down, the political landscape before and after the much hyped call for lock-down is gradually becoming clearer. Both political rivals claimed victory after a fierce, nerve shattering battle. The stakes were put to an all time high, verging on an out right civil war, complete anarchy and even a threat to the federation. Generally, we measure the proportion of a loss or victory in a battle by territory gained or seceded in addition to damages wrought or incurred. Though the victory or defeat in political battles, movements and causes can't be quantified exactly in the same manner, it helps nonetheless, in making an approximate estimation.
Prior to the lock-down call, we see a government as arrogant as a PMLN government can ever be, rubbishing aside all the allegations of involvement of its PM in any corruption or any wrongdoing including holding benaami properties or tax evasion or money laundering. Its MNAs and ministers rattling out all kinds of nonsense, shamelessly competing with each other, drooling over crumbs from the royal Sharif family. However, post Nov 2, we find a government severely dented and damaged; a government denuded of all authority to rule, moral for certain and legal, arguably. Within a weeks time, the 'democratic' veil of an absolute autocrat was ripped off, revealing the real face of a fascist. Politically, its image stands severely tarnished. Morally, it has been ripped apart and as the hearing in SC proceeds further, it will continue suffering heavy blows each time a lie is caught. Legally, it appears an open and shut case, where it is highly improbable that Sharif family can successfully manage a plausible defence. Heading a compromised government and a discredited party, the house of Sharif, is confronted with perils, seemingly fatal in consequence.
On the other hand Imran Khan rendered all other political stakeholders useless, redundant and irrelevant by spearheading single-handedly the movement against corruption. By manifesting his massive street power and a rare political astuteness in addition to his unflinching commitment and resolve, Imran today stands head and shoulders above all political rivals, who all have somehow started to appear but as pygmies and minions against his much taller political stature. Political heavy weights like PPP stand exposed and reduced to the role of silent spectators, un-bothered bystanders or at best commentators and critics behaving like cheerleaders clapping and dancing outside the playing field. They are no more in the game and almost completely out of the political equation, notwithstanding their tall claims to the contrary!
The accusations of Imran being a stooge of the establishment stand adequately shattered. He has laid bare the credibility of all institutions and got them to answer tough questions by the SCP thereby shaking this slumbering system to a rude awakening. Against all efforts of the government to create a fabricated impression of Imran bringing armed 'jathas' to takeover Islamabad, the whole world witnessed that the only weapon Imran actually used was psychological; strong political pressure through mass mobilisation of people, street power and some very strong messages, nothing else. The people who were labelled as 'armed jathas' calmly rejoiced their day of thanksgiving in the heart of the capital and dispersed peacefully at their leader's request. A great display of discipline, restraining highly charged emotions and of respect for their leader's word was made. Credentials of PTI being a peaceful party strengthened yet again. Imran's claim of gathering a million people, whether real or fake, drew credence by none other than the actions of federal and Punjab governments themselves. They felt compelled to impose a virtual curfew, blocking every nook and corner of the province as if a massive over-flooding of people was in the offing.
Lastly and most importantly, what this whole episode has proved undeniably, is the decapacitation of the whole system by a few cartels of the corrupt status quo, who use it only as a concubine to gain filthy, frivolous favours. The whole episode exposed yet another segment of our society; the civil society, the self proclaimed 'liberals', the champions of democratic values, and defenders of civil rights. Their abject lack of empathy for the slogans which they stand for, was revealed in keeping mum over abuse of the rule of law and worst attack on civil liberties. Their criminal silence made them an equal partner in the crime.
The accusations of Imran being a stooge of the establishment stand adequately shattered. He has laid bare the credibility of all institutions and got them to answer tough questions by the SCP thereby shaking this slumbering system to a rude awakening. Against all efforts of the government to create a fabricated impression of Imran bringing armed 'jathas' to takeover Islamabad, the whole world witnessed that the only weapon Imran actually used was psychological; strong political pressure through mass mobilisation of people, street power and some very strong messages, nothing else. The people who were labelled as 'armed jathas' calmly rejoiced their day of thanksgiving in the heart of the capital and dispersed peacefully at their leader's request. A great display of discipline, restraining highly charged emotions and of respect for their leader's word was made. Credentials of PTI being a peaceful party strengthened yet again. Imran's claim of gathering a million people, whether real or fake, drew credence by none other than the actions of federal and Punjab governments themselves. They felt compelled to impose a virtual curfew, blocking every nook and corner of the province as if a massive over-flooding of people was in the offing.
Lastly and most importantly, what this whole episode has proved undeniably, is the decapacitation of the whole system by a few cartels of the corrupt status quo, who use it only as a concubine to gain filthy, frivolous favours. The whole episode exposed yet another segment of our society; the civil society, the self proclaimed 'liberals', the champions of democratic values, and defenders of civil rights. Their abject lack of empathy for the slogans which they stand for, was revealed in keeping mum over abuse of the rule of law and worst attack on civil liberties. Their criminal silence made them an equal partner in the crime.
Nonetheless, calling off the 'lock-down' has been very rightly called the finest masterstroke of Imran's political career. He achieved what he had set out to start ie accountability; a mission impossible was accomplished, victory declared and orders to back off issued. In short, fearless in attack and graceful in retreat, Imran, for the first time proved himself as a very astute political leader who knew exactly when to play which card and out manoeuvred all other political parties, thus scoring a major political win; a strategist who remained in complete control of the situation, held his nerve and made his opponent crack and budge under pressure; a commander who used his troops to exert maximum damage with minimal loss and attained a moral victory; but above all he showed glimpses of a statesman who is ready to keep national interest above all other interests to the extent of risking his entire political career. It indeed takes a brave and honest man to go all that distance!
So we believe that Imran Khan has come of age and so we hope that the age of Imran Khan has come, with foundations of 'Naya Pakistan' firmly laid!
So we believe that Imran Khan has come of age and so we hope that the age of Imran Khan has come, with foundations of 'Naya Pakistan' firmly laid!
