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.
Rightly analyzed Paracha!
Khan sahib also claimed that Altaf Hussain has done 234 murder and Governer sindh is also a murderer as if he is the eyewitness (Though there are fake FIRs and in most cases MQM leaders have been fairly acquitted).
One should not be so authoritative and judgmental while the court has to announce the verdict. Is he considering himself above courts? Why? What does the law says about it?
I think it will take another decade for him to understand that he was wrong when he will be reading history books
Imran is the only hope Pakistanis have.
mumtaz, he is our only hope for restoring stability in cricket, but not so in politics
It is sad to see such biased article in your blog. Imran Khan is the only honest and patriotic leader who has tangibly demonstrated his credentials through Shaukat Khanum Memorial Hospital besides his enviable cricket carrier. The writer as it appears to have been written in return to some favors. At present it appears that Imran Khan may be the last hope for Pakistan.
Everyone makes mistakes no one is perfect. When you look at the broader picture you overlook small blunders like this. So Mr. Nadeem rather than being critical on the fact that is somewhat irrational, please be a little optimistic.
P.s if he had married a black woman from a village, would that make him a better politician???
Very biased article. 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. He is the hope of country. Nadeem please research properly before you blame anybody who is trying his best to revolutionize the people of Pakistan.
No one wants to say the obvious at this blog. Why does it matter if Babar Ghauri looks similar to Africans or if Imran Khan looks more like a European? It is Nadeem Parachi who is proving a racist by implying that being called African looking is bad! If they can imply that Imran and his kids look like so and so why can’t Imran defend himself by saying that Babur Ghauri’s kids would look African. Nadeem Parachi is making the judgement to say being called African is somehow racist but being called European is not racist.
This article is totally without logic. I think writer has not listened and understand Imran khan’s concepts and present condition of our country. May be article writer forgot that world is calling us 3rd world country. And khan’s arguments are not emotionals but based on logics.
You have to face the fact , no matter if Imran Khan’s mind and body aren’t at the same place, but still he is the best you got among the present politicians in or out of Pakistan.
Well I have seen and heard the response from Imran Khan and it was truly the right thing to say in response to what Babar Ghauri had said.
All of us were full of expectation when Imran Khan entered the politics. But it is disappointing to see how Imran Khan has evolved as a politician over the last few years in reverse gear! Not expected of a man who had liberal education and has seen the external world.
Absolute useless! If you want to attack the political system, attack those who have caused the prevalent situation in Pakistan
Dear Nadeem,
Great job done…..those who love imran khan should also read “Parliament se bazar-e-husun”…They will get the idea of innocent Imran Khan……………
Very shallow article. There are bigger things to talk about than colour. In Pakistan most men are colour concious … especially the dark coloured men who want fair women. So please leave Imran Khan alone. He has done a lot for Pakistan and needs to be acknowledged and credited. He is truly the “Hero” of Pakistan, no doubt !
Super and clear identification of the man Imran is. I watched Mairaj Mohd Khan on Najam Sethi’s show and it firms up the opinion. Good work.
Lies, bias, and untruthful very disappointed. What about who are ruling today huh! At least he is the man of his words.
Like most of this gentleman’s articles, I find too much opinion, and too little supporting fact. and for this reason, I dismiss it.
Imran should have a mandate and not point fingers – He needs to focus on education and cricket.
I have great respect for Imran and hopes he does not waste his talent in politics but focuses on education.
Hats off to his efforts on the Hospital – it is unheard in Pakistan that an individual has soared to such success.
Pakistan – come together
NFP, you clearly have no idea about the context of the Babar Ghauri comments. They were hardly racist. Ghauri claimed ‘look at Sita White’s kid, it looks just like you’. Khan merely retorted by saying he could show Ghauri a few kids that looked like him and since Ghauri is dark – in Africa. How does that make Khan racist? Its only racist I if you look down on Africans as an inferior race, Khan doesn’t make such a claim, but it seems like something you automatically assumed. Who is the racist then? Thanks for presenting half the fact and showing how myopic you yourself can be when you set your mind to it.
You may present yourself as some sort of enlightened cultural critic, but the fact remains that your thoughts are just as absurd and out of touch with the common Pakistani, not to mention reality, as those of Zaid Hamid. Thus, in essence there isn’t much of a difference between NFP and Zaid Hamid. Two bigots at opposite ends of the spectrum.
Absolutely agree with your comments. It seems like NFP has some personal enmity with him.
He is Playing his role well. You have some personal enmity with him. You have given example of Ghori for which Imran commented him. You didn’t write what he said. One sided view is not a good justification. If some one blames you personally then answering him is not bad. You have commented the answer of Imran Khan. I think you should also be mature while criticizing. This business of criticizing will suite you if it is justified.
I think the words fall short when I try to describe Imran’s personality. He was a versatile player and an admirable person. I know there are weaknesses regarding his political performances but he will compete up all these someday. He is a truthful and very bold man and people are recognizing his political abilities.
Imran certainly didn’t do well in replying to Ghouri but your article is shameful and biased. As a writer you missed the very basics. Show both sides. How about Ghauri’s allusion to Imran’s private life (which was the most cheapest way to create sensationalism) ????
It is crystal clear that the article is for sure biased. Just wanted to say Imran khan always stands for “TRUTH” and truth is always bitter!!!
HI, good one
With so many positive points I am still against Imran Khan as a politician due to his not so political party. You will not find any prominent spokesman of Tehreek e Insaf which shows that the party is one man show like others. Imran was key member of first ever revolt against cricket board and always supressed his competitors. For Pakistan a clean politician like Quaid-e-Azam is needed.
Unfortunately Imran Khan is still not out of his shell. You will not see other politicians from his party coming on media and gaining recognition. He planned to run his party as a one man show like the way he ran cricket. His career was full of controversies and clashes with first ever revolt against cricket board and the captain Javed Miandad.
If you want to lead the nation then you should be as clean as Quaid-e-Azam otherwise you will not be able to gain ground and reach the top unless you supress others. I myself feel that Imran is good in his charity work only but his voice will not be heard seriously if fail to project his party as a true democratic party.
Nobody can claim to be more free of corruption then Khan. His cancer hospital is still a good point in his favour.
I think he is more likely to lead us out of this mess.
Dear Friends!
Believe me he’s the person who’s extremely original for us and for Pakistan. We’ve seen all Political leaders time and again but on the other hand Imran doesn’t need anything. He’s champion, rich, and well known personality. It’s his utmost effort to see Pakistani a progressive nation. He isn’t a feudal neither a bureaucrat, He’s a genuine Pakistani. He earned the fame for Pakistan and same he wants here in Politics. He wants to make our nation a champion nation so don’t abuse your voting right via giving time and again to the one’s we already tested, support Imran Khan for our tomorrow. He’s the only ray of hope for this nation, believe me and if you think logically. He’s not a racist. Love your country and love Imran. …
I don’t understand why some of our friends are still trying to protect the Imran’s ideology, rather frankly saying taliban’s ideology!
So far nobody knows the manifesto of this single man party except speaking in favor of brutal taliban and against everyone stands against them.
Nadeem; I totally agree with your views. Imran Khan is not a balance politician.
I like Imran’s idealism for an independent and honest judiciary. But, his other political ideas are close to that of Jamat-e-Islami-a party, which for all practical purposes, supported Zia and Musharaff. No wonder, Imran was also an ardent admirer of Musharaff in the early stages. So, Imran is neither a great political thinker, nor an intellectual or a visionary who could hope to bring a fundamental change in our social or political setup which is mired in evils of archaic feudal norms. Nadeem’s frustration with Imran’s limitations are understandable.