What can one say about Imran Khan? A great former cricketer, a compassionate philanthropist … a sorry excuse for a politician. But his continuing forays into bad politics and tactical blunders can be excused, for he is yet to understand that politics is not a game of cricket, and that the democratic election process does not follow the selection policy he enforced as the captain of the Pakistan cricket squad.
The truth is, Khan’s penchant for picking up talented players seemed to have gone haywire when he decided to pick his early political mentors.
Coming from a highly educated, cultivated, and somewhat liberal background, Khan had slipped into reverse gear by the time he decided to enter politics in the early 1990s. In other words, instead of looking forward to becoming an integral part of a new, democratic, and General Zia-less Pakistan, Khan struck an ideological partnership with shadowy characters who were hell-bent on keeping the country stuck in the 1980s – a decade when Pakistan pulled and damaged all of its important political, economic and social muscles under the stressful weight of a myopic dictatorship and the damaging jihad that a dictatorship sponsored in Afghanistan.
By the time Khan officially entered politics sometime in late 1995, it wasn’t his pristine education at Oxford University, or a more insightful understanding of Pakistan’s political history, that was informing his political make-up. On the contrary, his ideology was weaved from the usual reactionary claptrap one expects from former ISI men, especially those who got emotionally involved in Pakistan’s counterproductive Afghan jihad project.
One such chap was General (retd.) Hamid Gul, who is squarely responsible for shaping Khan’s rather warped understanding of Pakistan’s political history and dynamics.
The next natural step for him was, of course, going further down the reactionary rabbit hole, where a world brimming with the most outlandish ideas and concepts of history, politics and society continues to thrive. This hole is the same into which a number of urban, middle-class Pakistanis have decided to fall, becoming an isolated cult of sorts with its own set of prophets that include certain music and fashion celebrities, TV personalities, cricketers, journalists, televangelists, et al.
This cult also has its own understanding of Pakistani politics, society and faith, one that is a highly animated concoction of the distorted content still present in many of the country’s history and religion text books. This world view espouses a narrative patronised by the post-Zia military and intelligence agencies that puts Pakistan at the centre of the universe around which malicious anti-Pakistan and anti-Islam forces are constantly trying to undermine the country’s political and cultural wellbeing. As such, this narrative is highly anti-democracy, and thus looks at Pakistan’s ethnic and sectarian diversity and plurality suspiciously and akin to being a danger to Pakistan’s ideological singularity premised on the belief that there is only a single, homogenous strain of faith and nationalism that thrives (or should thrive) in Pakistan.
Alas, this train of thought does not emerge from the figurative masses. It stems from the Punjab-dominated, military-bourgeois-religious elite and its many fans among the large sections of the province’s urban middle-classes. Mind you, it is the same elite that was highly pro-America during the Cold War and played a leading role to continue undermining democracy and populist political parties through the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s. And if the decade of the 1990s is anything to be learnt from, one can also suggest that it is this elite that becomes highly vocal and animated whenever Pakistan slips away from the clutches of a military dictatorship and plants itself back in the more democratic domain.
To put it simply, it is ironic watching and hearing men such as Khan, Gul, Munawar Hassan and Zaid Hamid spout populist lectures and speeches on corruption, sovereignty and patriotism, when the truth is that much of what these gentlemen are spouting is nothing more than a slippery version of the narrative propagated by the above-mentioned elite whose roots are not in the so-called masses, but in the smoky corridors of Pakistan’s intelligence agencies and in the comfortable drawing-rooms and TV lounges of the country’s urban middle- and upper-income groups.
There is no doubt that men like Hamid, Hassan, and Gul are (in a Machiavellian manner) pretty conscious of this dichotomy and not bothered at all as long as it helps them keep a large section of the country’s urban bourgeois entertained and thrilled by long-winded myths and tall tales of “Muslim supremacy” and assorted tirades against democracy and rational politics.
But I do wonder if Khan is conscious of the fact that much of what he chants in the name of the poor people, free judiciary, national sovereignty, and Islam is largely a by-product of the nonsense generated for years by the country’s economic, military and social elite groups? However, since Khan has not been above hypocrisy and contradiction himself, blundering over and again by questioning the moral make-up of everyone from President Asif Zardari to Mian Nawaz Sharif and Altaf Hussain, only to be faced by some ugly reminders of his own not-so-moralistic past, one can assume that he too is conscious of the above-mentioned dichotomy.
What’s more, though one would have imagined that a man like him was likely to have avoided certain disturbing exhibitions of xenophobia and sheer racism that have now crept in the narratives and mind-set of men like Hamid and his bourgeois elite following, Khan blundered again by deciding to actually appear on a controversial TV show on which Hamid and his warped sidekicks make a mockery of history and politics, peddling nationalistic chauvinism as patriotism, and paranoid fiction as ‘fact.’
If Khan takes himself seriously, what on earth was he doing on a show in which it was claimed that Einstein’s equation ‘E=MC2’ meant nothing and was actually another step by the Zionists in their march towards world domination, and that Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry too was ‘planted’ by western and Israeli agencies. This is only the tip of the iceberg made from the insane yet comical absurdities that do the rounds on that show. And yet Khan, who calls his party a mainstream political organ, decided to appear on a show that operates like a millennial, end-of-the-world cult?
The more tenacity mainstream political parties in the present parliament exhibit in the face of a rabid onslaught against its character by the Taliban, the media, and assorted drawing-room cranks, the more frustrated these gentlemen get, consequently becoming more audacious and absurd in their attacks.
The same thing might have happened recently with Khan. Perhaps getting more aware of the lack of any worthwhile electoral ability of his party (even though it has now been around for a decade), he proved himself to hold the same xenophobia and racial superiority that large chunks of the urban middle-classes have started to suffer from.
During a speech in Lahore, he lashed out at President Zardari and MQM’s Altaf Hussain, using the most worn-out critical clichés that the two men usually face on TV screens. But this was not the problem. Khan wasn’t saying anything new or offensive in this respect. However, while winding up his rhetorical tirade, he got carried away and revealed the true extent of his xenophobia. While attacking MQM member and a minister in the PPP-led coalition government, Babar Ghauri, Khan sarcastically equated him with African children.
Ghauri, who, like most MQM leaders, rose from a lower middle-class background and worked his way through the ranks amidst a number of crackdowns on his party by the state in the 1990s, has a dark complexion. And it is this that the mighty Khan (‘man of the masses’ – most of whom are not as fair as Khan himself), chose to ridicule. Speaking in Urdu, Khan said, “Ghauri was sitting (talking to me) on TV, so what should I say to this guy? I (wanted to tell him), Babar Ghauri, if I go to Africa, I can show you a hundred kids that look like you!”
I wonder if Khan spoke the same way about West Indian greats such as Viv Richards or Clive Lloyd? And is this why the great Khan chose to marry a white British woman instead of a ‘brown’ Pakistani girl? And was the great reborn Muslim and ‘honest politician’ so peeved with late Benazir Bhutto only because she could speak better English than him and have an equally fair complexion?
We can go on and on ridiculing Imran in this respect, but one would have to crouch as low as men like him have stooped just to bag applause from bored TV viewers.
A man with such a fantastic cricketing career, and an impressive record of philanthropy, a man who once seemed to possess all the right ingredients to become a truly enlightened and loved politician, has, unfortunately, landed on his face. He now sounds like an awkward cross between a freckled member of the Ku Klux Klan and a frustrated shrew who treats his country as a lowly damsel in distress who can only be saved by a fair prince like him, instead of those who come into power with the votes of the common, albeit dark Pakistanis.
Nadeem F. Paracha is a cultural critic and senior columnist for Dawn Newspaper and Dawn.com.
The views expressed by this blogger and in the following reader comments do not necessarily reflect the views and policies of the Dawn Media Group.
Everyone has the right of opinion. Kudos to DAWN for publishing such a piece. Shows how far freedom of press has come along in Pakistan. I only have one question for Mr. Paracha. Why so much hate and anger for Khan?
It is pretty obvious by reading the responses, that Mr. Paracha in his intense dislike (of Imran) have achieved nothing. Opinions are only taken seriously, when they are backed by FACTS not emotions. The arguments made are based on hearsay and assumptions. There is no comparison of the character of the great Khan to the low-life politicians of Pakistan. Khan is no angel, but has no blood on his hand, neither did he loot the Islamic Republic, unlike his counterpart. The article actually presents a troubling sign and may answer the question, why so many so called educated (literate) Pakistanis have failed to get behind the only person who brings hope to this nation. People need to get their priorities right and stop being hypocrites (which seems to have become a national past time). I wonder if Khan was Indian! how would Indians have responded to his message? These Pakistanis need to get over their petty selves along with their over-sized egos. Start saving the country before it is too late.
And lastly, excellent response from PTI!!! Go Imran Go Pakistan.
Let me provide some facts:
1. Imran says he supports jamoriyat. Yet he had supported Musharraf in 1999 and also in 2002. In both cases it was violation of constitution. Not only that he has not conducted any elections within his party.
2. Imran says he believes in justice and that is why he has called his party ‘Tehrik-e-insaaf’. Yet he does not accept the judgment of Los Angeles court.
3. Imran says education is really important and Pakistan should have an education emergency. Yet he doesn’t say anything Taliban who have destroyed hundreds of schools.
4. He criticizes urban Pakistani youth for losing touch with their roots. Yet his kids are growing up in UK.
Whichever you look at it, Imran says one thing and does a different thing.
In response to Ayesha Khan
The so called facts you have provided do not prove that Imran Khan does not have the best interest at heart for his country…people change and evolve as politicians…it’s not exactly easy being a politician in a country like Pakistan! And with all due respect, just because some Pakistani’s live, born and raised in the Uk doesn’t mean that they are not in touch with their Islamic or Pakistani values…in fact I have often noticed some British born and raised Pakistanis are more proud of their Islamic and Pakistani identity than some Pakistani born and raised youth…who I believe are more confused than Pakistani’s living abroad! Doesn’t matter where you live, you can still have strong Islamic values.
Comparing the great legend to the klu klux klan is quite extreme and disgusting may I add. Why does NFP hate Imran Khan so much? Because he speaks the truth? Yes! I think so! Imran Khan often says things in exactly the same way a common man on the streets of Pakistan would say it and feel. I have often observed that most (not all) writers and presenters who work for Dawn don’t particularly like the legend Khan. I hope it’s not because he is no longer ‘gora sahib’ and instead talks about what is in the best interest of Pakistan and is inspired by Islam! It does make me wonder!
A biased article. Leader with blue passport are faithful, leader having assets abroad are loyal, leader erected hospitals and university are hypocrate as well as working for Jewish lobby…what a irony!
Babar Ghauri had only said that “the child looks like you [Imran Khan]“, but Imran Khan said that “Babar Ghauri, if I go to Africa, I can show you a hundred kids that look like you”, there was no suggestion of racial colour or skin complexion in Ghaur’s statement but there evidently was in Imran Khan’s statement! Imran khan’s statement is therefore deplorable, “ghatiya” and a lowly third-class statement reeking of bigotry as there was no need to even bring race into the discussion.
I agree with you Ali. Not only that Babar Ghauri’s statement was based on the fact that Imran Khan has lost the paternity suit in a Los Angeles Court. Imran’s statement was not based on anything other than his color prejudice.
Also, it is not just that he retorted this way nice in response to Babar Ghauri’s statement. In an address to Pakistanis in London, he brought up the incident – When Babar Ghauri was definitely not provoking him. He said have you all seen what Babar Ghauri looks like, – and then he repeated the same statement and laughed contemptuously.
For those who say — what is wrong with Africans? The answer is nothing. But there is everything wrong with smirking after comparing someone with Africans because it reveals your prejudice.
What a true and honest description of Imran Khan! Enjoyed it thoroughly. Well done, NFP!
I like…. Imran was great cricketer… but that is it. Thanks you NFP for you honest remarks.
Nadeem Paracha,
I am extremely disappointed in you. Your judgement on Imran is malicious and it is quite obvious from your comments that you hold some sort of personal grudge against him. Your thought process (particularly in this piece of yours) is twisted and views very shallow.
Imran Khan is the pride of Pakistanis. Pakistanis have chosen to forgive his shortcomings because his achievements are too lofty and the honour and the recognition he has brought to Pakistan (inside the cricketing field and outside it) are too great to leave us dwelling on his past.
He has been a loyal husband, and is a loving father. A true hero who would have swept the elections had our urban, educated young men and women gone to the polling stations to vote instead of choosing to stay home and enjoy a relaxing holiday on the day of balloting, leaving the corrupt politicians to bring loads of poor, helpless people to forcibly vote for them. It is our fault that Imran Khan is not the Prime Minister of Pakistan today. It is our fault that Zardari is our President. It is our fault that Babar Ghauri sits in talk shows on prime time.
Well done Job! I would like to add one more comment that you have not mentioned here. Well all this politician are corrupt and and destroyed our mother land with both hands. But Imran has not done harm to our mother land nor he is corrupt. I think we should all support him.
I am Agree with Mr.Salman ,,,indeed Imran Khan is our national Hero….
Dear Salman,
Lately Imran Khan has been extremely abusive about people and sledging mud with out having any legitimacy and despite being a champion of Insaaf.
Doesn’t a champion of Insaaf believe in considering one as innocent until proven guilty and doesn’t he believe not to attack some one based on his color of skin…… and who told you that his shortcomings are forgiven by Pakistanis because of his lofty achievements???
I am sorry brother you are very sadly mistaken, this world call such people as nothing but hypocrite…. and probably you are also carried away with his good looking persona and fancy accent.
You say Imran is a loving father. HE maybe to his two sons borne out of marriage. Is he a loving father towards Sita White’s daughter? Not sure if you are aware that Sita White actually won her paternity suit in a Los Angeles Court. You would expect that a man who has named his party ‘Tehreek-e-Insaaf’ would honor the judgment of an independent court in this regard.
It is very biased article, truly reflecting the nature of the writer. Imran Khan is born with great leadership qualities;… an honest and sincere person. I believe that he is one of very few ‘Made in Pakistan’ politician. Pakistan desperately needs him.
Imran Khan’s comment on Babar Ghouri is totally taken out of context. I don’t understand what Imran Khan did to offend this writer. As a neutral the only reason I take an interest in politics is because of Imran Khan. As long as Imran’s there, there is some semblance of hope that our country will not continue to be ruled by the likes of PPP and PML (both versions) forever. Perhaps what NFP wants is someone like Altaf Hussain because he worked his way up from the grassroots level (apparently the end all be all criteria for a good politician these days). A sad attempt to malign the great Khan. I realize Imran may not be without his weaknesses but he has his head in the right place and he has the right ideas. When people like NFP can wake up and realize that we as a nation will finally be free of the Nawaz’s, Zardari’s, Altaf’s and Bilawal’s.
I couldn’t be more agree.
Nadeem; I totally agree with your views. Imran Khan is not a balance politician. Babar Ghauri just wanted to say if Imran Khan couldn’t provide justice to his own child with Sita White, so how he can provide justice to the people of Pakistan and ironically he came with name of Tehreek-e-Insaf (movement of justice).
He may have made blunders according to you but he is not at all the product of NRO. Imran Khan is people hero. One try for best as Imran Khan is trying with honesty. You need to do some research before writing something about a hero. Sorry to say you are losing your credibility.
So being a NRO product is bad but supporting Taliban who are killing thousands of innocent Pakistanis is good?
As other posters on this blog have shown, NFP has taken Imran’s comment out of context.
Imran is no past angel either. If he doesn’t want his past to be discussed as he would like us to believe that he is a changed man now, why doesn’t he show as much compassion for Zardari or Nawaz for their past deeds. Why can’t Zardari forget about the NRO Judgment and every body practice genuine reconciliation. Nawaz Sharif appears to be a changed man but alas the same cannot be said about Zardari.
Great article but I agree with some of his opinions about people being planted in Pakistan
And whats wrong in being looking like an african child? If Sita white can look like Imran Khan for being white, he just placed a metaphor which you cannot understand.
Great Article ,Well said NFP.
I wonder how many of the above Imran lovers have voted for him. Strange isn’t it ?
@ All Imran lovers, just ask Imran to get a DNA test ,this will prove everything.
Why is Imran so scared to get the test ?
If the result is negative, Imran can lead the nation, if positive, you decide.
What say Imran?
What does it prove? I don’t care whether Imran has had affairs in his past private life or what he may or may not have done before he found his calling to help his motherland. He has done more for Pakistan than any dictator or elected politician. I hope the people of Pakistan give him the chance to lead our nation one day. You worry about DNA test and paternity suits – imagine how many affairs other men and women have had in their past lives if that is your fancy . God alone judges a man in his past personal life.
well written
Dear Nadeem you always see one side or one part of the picture and always look at the dark side but you need to balance your approach by looking at the bright side also.Every one, without exception,has good and bad qualities. Imran Khan is also a human and he must have weaknesses but his strength of character is unmatchable if compared with the present lot of our political leaders. He is the best of all.He has an urge for salvation of this nation from corruption, mismanagement and lack of courage to call spade a spade. I hope if he is given a chance to become our PM he will change the image of nation.
Who says that Imran is racist? He is the only decent politician of the nation and his loyalty is unquestioned by the majority of people. If Imran describes Babar Ghauri as African Looking, why is that racist? Does that mean calling a dark skinned person African looking means you are being racist? There are African looking people in Pakistan. Babur Ghauri showed a European Looking picture. Does that mean he is racist? There are many European people looking people in Pakistan too. Who decides if looking African is racist but looking European is not racist. The writer Nadeem Paracha needs to ask himself if maybe he is racist?
Good Analysis
@GP65 : Exactly my point. The entire context behind the statement was that ghauri, rather than answering Imran’s concerns etc, had a picture of Sita white’s daughter that he was flashing with bad comments, “Ye Bachi kiski hai”, “Is bachi ko insaaf kaun dai ga” and “iski tu shakal bhee aapse milti hai”. I don’t want to argue on whether she is Imran’s daughter or not; cause as per my knowledge Imran has never claimed to be a saint.
My point being that do not throw a lone statement; rather give the people context behind that statement to be fair.
As a blind person cannot see the sun just like that a dark minded person cannot understand about great man Imran Khan. I don’t like Imran as a cricketer but he is born leader and great politicians.
Jaffri says “Imran Khan linked Ghouri to African children after Ghouri claimed that Imran khan has a white kid with someone. He mean’t that Ghouri cannot say that because some kid had white complexion so that’s the reason he is Imran’s child”. The impression you have that he is being accused of having illegitimately fathered Sita White’s child only due to his appearance- is exactly what he meant to imply. The fact is there was a court case i.e. a paternity suit where Imran was the defendant. Imran has lost that case. This is the basis of the allegation, not Imran’s ‘fair’ looks.
I think it was unfair of Nadeem to quote “Speaking in Urdu, Khan said, “Ghauri was sitting (talking to me) on TV, so what should I say to this guy? I (wanted to tell him), Babar Ghauri, if I go to Africa, I can show you a hundred kids that look like you!”” out of context. While I agree that it was wrong of imran to ridicule Ghauri in such a manner; there is a history behind this statement which Nadeem conveniently forgot to mention. You are one of the very few Pakistani writers I care to read. Please do not turn out to be like the rest…
NFPs articles are always without logic..!!!!
Imran khan is the only hope for pakistan!!!!Among all the polticians in pakistan he is the best!!!!!!!!
Imran has been a charismatic leader so long as his cricket statistics go, but his political career is still on the low, how can you see him as the ‘only’ hope for Pakistan. (Although others political personalities are not too self assured themselves).
You may want to remember President Ayub Khan’s comments and thoughts on (then) East Pakistani’s based on their appearance and color and look where it got us. Even though I admire Imran on many counts however if he did say this its a shameful thing and at the very least he should apologise for it.
You are quoting Khan out of context. The full story is not related. Be ashamed of yourself. Show some character man!!
I may say it is not good to comments on Imran’s wedding life. Atleast he has done lots of favour e.g. Cricket World Cup, Cancer hospital which never ever try to make a single person except him. And now in this critical situation, he is trying to convince youth for Pakistan’s future. Supposed, he is not eligible for President Position, how about our current President! What are the changes made by his assembly? In fact, inflation is dramatically goes up and we loosed and loosing even in dialogues.
Let’s get together not only for Imran, Zardari, Nawas Sharif etc etc, but just for Pakistan and be think about your home. We need to know exactly how to eliminate the findings, we’re Muslims and we have to teach other instead they’re teaching us!
What can one say about Mr. Nadeem F. Paracha? Sadly, he is not the lone ranger in this relentless crusade against Imran Khan. There is a certain cabal of intellectuals, dissembling experts, and pocketbook analysts that have lost their sleep, all sense of reason and logic in denouncing Imran Khan. The question is, what has Imran Khan done to earn their ire?
The list of his crimes is quite long. He is the only Pakistani to be inducted in the Oxford Hall of Fame, the only sportsman to be inducted in the Oxford Hall of Fame, the only sportsman ever to win an honorary fellowship of Keble College, Oxford University. A supreme athlete of his time, with the longest career by any cricketer post WW II, represented his country with honor and distinction for 21 years, encompassing record 10 years of captaincy, leading from the front his spearheaded the first and the only successful world cup campaign in 1992. Easily the most glamorous and idolised hero of the nation, the most recognised Pakistani around the world, he was showered with prizes and felicitations ranging from Hilal-e-Pakistan to Pride of Pakistan, he also was named UNICEF special representative for sports and dynamic personality, Imran Khan went on to author as many as four books on a variety of subjects.
Today he is like a man about to meet his situation, enjoy his tryst with destiny, and relish his moment of truth. In times of universal deceit uttering a word of truth is a revolutionary act. In an age notorious for mendacious, spineless politicians, Imran Khan appears to be sincere, dynamic, defiant and consistent. Three of his personal characteristics have endeared him to the people of Pakistan: His sincerity, his refusal to compromise and deal with the powers of darkness, and his courage. He has vocally and consistently opposed the anti-national, anti-people policies of the forces of status quo, ever since his entry in the political arena back in 1996. His message: No deal, no compromise, no gradualism, no sharing of power, no rapprochement with those, who have imperiled the existence of Pakistan.
Imran Khan has his finger on the pulse of the nation. He has the sagacity and credibility to unite all the disparate forces along the most radical demand: Sweeping away of the current iniquitous system. He has aroused hopes of deliverance from ineffectual rule in different strata of society. The middle class, much reviled by Mr. Paracha, see him a harbinger of freedom from the yoke of regression, restoration of 1973 Constitution, authentic democracy and Rule of Law. They regard him as a nationalist opposed to military dictatorship and American interference in our internal affairs.
Imran Khan is perspicacity personified. The way he had highlighted the folly contained in the ill-conceived, US-led war on terror strategy speaks volumes about his vision, foresight and perspicacity. Now that the tide has turned, with his prophesies coming true word by word, even the Americans have finally sensed which way the wind is blowing; they are ready to reintegrate Taliban. Imran Khan’s perspicacity has been vindicated, his leadership credentials have been established.
But the irony in it all is, that while likes of Robert Gates and Stanely McChrystal are paying heed to the wise words of Imran Khan; a few people from among his own nation are busy ridiculing and denigrating him.
Umar Khayyam Haider
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf
Lahore.
Interesting assessment of Imran. He appeared to be the saving grace for Pakistan and a much needed change when he started TI.
It just shows however good you are perceived to be, once you enter politics you will have dirt on your face. In this day and age when you 24 x7 news channels a loose comment like the one mentioned above can put years of reputation to nothing.
Imran is a lone person, How come Pakistan be saved by a lone person. Minus Imran nothing is there. The only party with no Corruption charges is Jamaat-e-Islami. I think this the ONLY party which can save Pakistan.