Features
Pakistan and Imran Khan
As I write this article on Thursday February 15, it looks as if there has been no great system change in the country though voters definitely voted for such, giving the highest number of votes to those who presented themselves as independent candidates but were of Imran Khan’s political party – Tehreek-e-Insaf or P.T.I.
A decision has been made to form a coalition government approved by the military of Nawaz Sharif’s PML-N and the PPI led by Asif Ali Zardari and his son Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, son of Benazir Bhutto. The Prime Minister will be Nawaz Sharif’s younger brother Shehbaz Sharif, not Bilawal Zardari 35, Chair of the PPP at 17 when his mother died and recently Minister of Foreign Affairs. The probable PM is a rich businessman dealing in steel.
Loyalists of Khan, like him, are strongly against the army and thus the jubilation at having won most seats – 91 against the PML-N’s 76 and PPP’s 54 of a total of 265 parliamentary seats. Military power seems to have prevailed again and will not give in easily to a more democratic government. P.T.I, loyalists have accused the army of massive vote rigging. Thus either Khan and his wife will remain in prison and have to serve their terms or chaos will result.
One never knows how the situation will be in Pakistan come Sunday February 18 when you read this column. (References: Imran Khan’s opponents reach deal to shut his allies out of government by Salman Masood and Christina Goldbaum, and other articles in the NYT of February 14)
Social media plays role
It is now well known that when Pakistan’s before-elections government censored media, Imran Khan’s party posted campaign videos on TikTok, and when their party rallies were banned, they hosted virtual gatherings with speeches by Imran Khan behind bars, simulated and broadcast using artificial intelligence. The county’s generals fell out with Khan as PM, who refused to be dictated to by the all-powerful army, and was ousted from Parliament in 2022. Authorities brought more than a dozen charges against Khan and imprisoned him.
One accusation was that he released state classified information. He and his wife, religious Bibi were imprisoned. The Elections Commission stated that the P.T.I had not been properly registered and thus banned candidates of the party with its symbol of a cricket bat, from contesting. Thus the large number of independent candidates of the P.T.I. who won in the February 8 elections.
Comparison
The obvious dissimilarities between Pakistan and Sri Lanka are size and population. To Pakistan’s population of 240m ours is 22; a glance at a map shows how small our land is compared to Pakistan. We are overall a more literate and educated populace of a more secular country with women not controlled or heavily discriminated against.
The most significant is that Pakistan has for most of its existence been under the military either directly or indirectly with even fairly democratically governments controlled by the military. It has gone through several military coups; our history registers but one failed – that of 1962 against Mrs Bandaranaike’s government – planned by a few military and police high ups. Pakistan is a nuclear power.
The greatest dissimilarity is that while Imran Khan rose to lead his country to a more democratic nation in truly heroic fashion, we have lacked since the earliest leaders like DS, Dudley and Kotelawela, any really great leader who puts country before self. Khan has been pronounced to be “A reformer who would bring change.
” “Mr Khan’s message resonated with millions across the country who were frustrated by the country’s economic crisis and old political dynasties… and only he could restore its former greatness.” He emerges a genuine, committed politician concerned first and last about his country and his people. One point here: Khan could have lived anywhere in the world in luxury and comfort but he decided to stay in Pakistan,
enter politics and lead the country to greater democracy, concerned about the poor and disadvantaged. He sacrificed a happy family life for the sake of his country; Jemima Goldsmith, his millionairess British wife, found extended family life in Pakistan stifling and wanted to return to England. Imran wanted to stay back. Hence their divorce and break up of family.
The Man
Imran Ahmad Khan Niazi was born in Lahore on October 5, 1952 to a wealthy upper middle class family of Pashtun descent of the Niazi tribe. His father was a civil engineer. Both on his paternal and maternal sides were distinguished ancestors. He attended a prestigious school in Lahore then Royal Green School, Worcester, and graduated from Keble College, Oxford University in 1975. He continued his cricket playing encouraged at school in Worcester until 1992, captaining the Pakistan team to win the World Cup that year.
As a very handsome, personable young man, flashy even, he was dubbed ‘hedonistic bachelor’ or in plain language, a playboy. He was just that, very evident in British high society, dating several film starlets and others; even accused of paternity which he denied. He married heiress Jemima Goldsmith in 1995, and she converted to Islam. By then he was drawn back to his country of birth and she moved with him, changing her style of dress and attempting to integrate to his family. They had two sons: Sulaiman Isa and Kasim. In 2004 they divorced very amicably with Jemima taking the two children back to England. Reason given: “Difficult for Jemima to adapt to life in Pakistan.”
By now Imran was fully into politics; opposed to military rule and sincerely concerned about country and his people. What makes me admire the man unreservedly is his devotion to his mother Shaukat Khannan who succumbed to cancer in 1985. Visiting her in hospital, he noticed how relatives of patients loitered around with no restrooms and other facilities.
He decided to build a cancer hospital with free service and accommodation for patients’ near relatives to stay over too. He invested his money and also wrote to friends. Contributions poured in. He built a cancer hospital in Lahore and a second one in Peshawar of the highest standard and created the Shaukat Khannan Memorial Trust which has set up cancer detecting and treating centres nationwide with international support of famous persons.
In January 2015 he contracted a disastrous marriage with beautiful British–Pakistani journalist Reham Khan who was a weather announcer on BBC. The marriage lasted less than a year – till October – and saw scorned Reham wreaking vengeance by writing her autobiography with very damaging chapters about Khan just prior to the 2018 elections which he contested, under his newly created Party which won most seats. Joining up with smaller parties he formed the government. Khan served as PM from August 2018 to April 2022 when the military maneuvered his ouster.
In 2016 to early 2018 reports emerged that Khan had married his spiritual mentor Bushra Bibi Manika, which were denied. In 2018 the PTI confirmed the marriage had taken place. His pet dogs, I read, proved to be a bone of contention as the bride was averse to dogs, so his were sent to his estate.
Comment
I listed some similarities and differences that exist between the status quo of Pakistan and that of Sri Lanka. Most people of both countries are disappointed in their leaders and government while in Pakistan there is severe criticism of the military interfering with politics and ruling de facto. We are free of this imposition. Political dynasties still hold sway in Pakistan judging by the leaders of the new formed coalition government; which curse is diminishing in Sri Lanka.
Many more miseries attend both nations like economic downfall. However, Pakistan has a potential statesman, now imprisoned, but having support of the majority of the population, judging by election results. Sri Lanka is woefully short of such a person. There are national minded, honest persons in the wings ready to serve the country and not oneself; but still unidentified. Thus what hope is possible?