Dear Imran Khan,
You have let us down.
Last April I arrived in Islamabad to support PTI in the upcoming
elections and witness what I thought would be the democratic equivalent
of the Arab spring; the arrival of a tide of change.
Along with an overwhelming majority of overseas Pakistanis, young and
old, I had bought into the hype of a ‘naya Pakistan’. We were elated
that a clean and committed leadership might replace the corrupt
political dynasties that had leeched off Pakistan almost since its
inception, repeatedly bringing it to the brink of bankruptcy. We wanted
to be part of this historical event. The dawn of a new era. Everyone was
united that we needed change, and in opposition you sounded totally
persuasive.
From the minute we checked in for Islamabad, there was a PTI frenzy,
an excitement. Change was in the air, literally. Numerous chartered
flights of PTI supporters went out to Pakistan, hardly surprising given
the millions of overseas supporters your party attracts. If there is one
thing about Pakistanis, equally true of overseas Pakistanis, it is
their patriotism, and this was out in full force. I campaigned
extensively on social media in the lead up to the elections and on the
whole it seemed the media and the people were behind you.
Despite hailing from a strong PML-N supporting family, in Islamabad I
hung the PTI flag high on our balcony, and with your autobiography in
tow, I was fully converted, inside and out. Daily debates took place in
our family home as I was determined to show everyone the light,
dismissing their concerns about PTI’s lack of experience or potential.
The mantra of ‘change’ rolled off my tongue. I was mesmorised by the PTI
election fervour, (or was that fever?). I remember the eve of the
elections at Islamabad Club – many politicians were in the midst. Every
table was discussing the same thing; the potential of PTI. This new
party had become the force to be reckoned with and posed a real and
viable threat to those parties that had taken their right to the
government leadership to be akin to a family heirloom. I was proud to
support PTI.
And then the election results. PTI came a relatively close third – an
incredible achievement for a new party, gaining the leadership of a
whole province; your province, as well as some key seats in the major
cities. I was delighted. For PTI supporters this was our party and our
victory. And this was your opportunity to convert your words into
actions, to silence those who said that you were just a cricketer with
no political experience. After all you are also an Aitchisonian and an
Oxford Graduate; an accomplished individual by any standard.
But unfortunately over the last year you have let your supporters
down and have somewhat proved your critics to be right. You demonstrated
that your forceful speeches lacked the corresponding leadership and
strategy. Time and time again you have made bold statements, followed by
inaction, or a complete U-turn. Just one recent example of this was
when you made a compelling speech in relation to the atrocities in Gaza
at the PTI iftar in London. But the following week-end when hundreds of
thousands protested on the streets of London you were out watching
cricket. Was this the depth of your sincerity?
Your stated role model was none other than the great Quaid e Azam who
sacrificed his personal life and any professional gain to create
Pakistan. And I believe you have certainly sacrificed your personal
life. I attended your wedding which took place minutes from where I was
studying at the time. I followed the developments in Jemima’s life in
Pakistan and the obstacles she faced and tried to overcome, something
even very few British Pakistani girls would do. But alas your political
career cost your marriage. The sacrifice was noted. But that is now
history, and we need to focus on the present.
The past few weeks have been a test of your sincerity and
unfortunately you have failed. You demonstrated that you do not have the
endurance to stand side by side with your supporters through thick and
thin, an essential trait for a leader. Prior to your arrival in
Islamabad, close members of the PTI ranks were asked whether you would
remain outside during the ‘dharna’. They were absolutely convinced you
would. They said you love the rugged common man experiences. But you
didn’t. The first night you came, you didn’t conquer, but you did return
to Bani Gaala and the luxury of your home whilst your supporters
endured the rain and damp under the open sky. No shelter, no food, no
water, no sanitation. Some of these people had travelled a distance of
350 km over 40 hours to support you, and you abandoned them. To add
further insult to injury the Chief Minister for KPK danced on stage
whilst the IDPs in his province suffered in tents and eighteen passed
away due to the weather conditions. Many questioned whether this? was
the type of ‘alternative’ leadership you were promising.
And for many supporters from near and far, it was these straws that
finally broke the camel’s back. You had failed a basic test of
sincerity, the very trait that was supposed to distinguish you from
those in their ‘mahals’ that you oppose. You were supposed to be the
politician that represented the common man of Pakistan but when put to
the test you fell short.
Perhaps you felt let down; that the ‘azaadi’ march had neither the
drawn in the numbers you repeatedly cited (itnay se log?), nor the
substance. Frankly speaking, it was not comprised of the significant
element of students and intelligentsia you need behind you if you are to
remain a political force to be reckoned with. And whilst you displayed a
façade of unflinching confidence, most people could see though it, a
desperate and defeated man on whom it had dawned that 30,000 or even
60,000 in a country of 182 million was not sufficient to force a
resignation no matter how many days his cohort remained out.
Your speeches were amusing but unrealistic and if they continued,
would have resonated much with the boy who cried wolf. Moreover whilst
you spoke vehemently against corruption and financial mismanagement, in
the space of a few days your reckless games inflicted a colossal loss of
Rs 3 trillion to the Karachi stock exchange. This was on 14 August. I
dread to think where the figure stands right now. Schools were forced to
delay opening and naya Pakistan was beginning to look far worse than
the old one.
So then you returned with a new plan with extra zeal, and a generous
dose of irrational and impulsive ideas. These ideas were sans frontier;
naya Pakistan now had an agenda of political terrorism. You unashamedly
incited your followers to civil disobedience and lawlessness. God forbid
that even thought about the repercussions? Is this your sincerity to
Pakistan? To cause anarchy? What kind of precedent are you setting,
particularly to the young generation who see you as a role model? ‘If
you don’t get your way legally, then take the law into your own hands’?
The recent focus on six tangible demands was an improvement in
strategy, and comprised issues that the vast majority of people were
agreed on; all sincere Pakistanis want to rid Pakistan of the pervasive
corruption that exists. But these legitimate points are being
overshadowed by the absolute demand for resignation from the Prime
Minister which is insufficiently substantiated and quite frankly
immature. The longer you drone on about that, the more U-turns you will
have to make, and the harder it will be for you to leave this debacle
with any level of dignity.
Watching from afar, its making me cringe. Whilst I desperately want
you to redeem yourself I cannot see how that will happen. I pity the
people who left their homes almost two weeks ago and have been on the
streets day and night because you promised them something you were never
going to deliver, and for the rest of our country that you have been
holding hostage.
By contrast, the government are riding out the storm. They have
agreed to five of the six demands relating to the elimination of
corruption and if you had accepted this, your march and mission would
have been a success, but your ego has got the better of you.
It hasn’t gone unnoticed that during this drama, that the government
are demonstrating a maturity that your party lacks. They speak with a
respect that is absent in your speeches. And this skill is integral to
political leadership. We cannot have a volatile leader who has no
parameters or respect, and who speaks like an uneducated ruffian when
attacking his opponents. Given the microphone and you are like a bull in
a china shop. I feel seriously embarrassed by your crude, haphazard
speeches, which I suspect are a reflection of your insecurity. And I am
embarrassed by the image that your words and actions present to the
international world, an image we are already struggling with. If you
have you sights on the leadership of Pakistan, you need far more astute
political advisors to help PTI address these weaknesses.
Today the political arena is at a crossroads metaphorically and right
now, literally. The country is on the brink of bankruptcy, battling
with terrorism and weighed down by its domestic challenges not
forgetting the international ones.
You can either work in the interests of Pakistan or against it.
Derailing democracy, as imperfect a model as it is, a year into the new
government’s current term is not in the interests of Pakistan. PTI has
followed the democratic process since its inception almost 20 years,
whilst the most corrupt leaders came and left. So what has changed now?
Without doubt there was rigging during the elections, but would the
overall result have been significantly different? No domestic or
international election observers support this contention. So focus your
demands on those which are meaningful, realistic and constitutional; on
election reforms and accountability.
At each stage PML-N have extended the hand of cooperation, and the
offer of talks is further evidence of this. If you are sincere to
Pakistan and its people, it is high time you accepted this and break the
impasse that has brought the country to a halt. You have made an
impressive start in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and should focus on developing
this to make it a model province, and progress the anti-corruption
strategy, and if you follow this path you will stand in good stead to be
sitting in the PM seat in 2018.
But if you think there is a fast track route to PM house by bringing
people onto the streets and storming Parliament, this suggests an
insincerity which should never be associated with PTI. Do not ignite the
people with statement after statement to lead them into the realms of
disrespect and lawlessness. Do not play into the hands of your greater
opponents who are benefiting from this far more than you realise. Treat
the soil of Pakistan and it’s people with the respect they deserve. And
If the Qaid is your leader then let’s move forward and rekindle the
principles of unity, faith and discipline.
A disillusioned PTI supporter
