Tuesday, December 27, 2011

Imran Khan, Baluchistan and Terrorism!

The life of Imran Khan, a cricketer turned politician and chairman of Pakistan Tahreek Insaaf (PTI), is full of colours, controversies, and contradictions. Beside cricket politics, his public political life started in 1995-6, when he was portrayed as a ‘convert – a Muslim by belief but now converted to real fundamental basics of Islam’ receiving Holy Quran through the hands of former Ameer e Jamat e Islami. Then he had formed his own politically party and tried to gain power through back doors when Pervaiz Musharraf’s mother who was the strong ally of Shaukat Khannum Hospital & one of the donor, had helped him to come to the lime light of former dictator. In today’s Pakistan, often he is called by his supporters as Prime Minister-in-waiting, had given him good confidence to consider himself for same post while challenging former political friends or foes. Could he be the real saver of people of Pakistan or the poor nation would witness the same old fate in a new cricket bottle?

One would have to consider the flamboyant past of someone & how much he has changed himself in his public life, what is work done for the slogan of “change" or what type of team members he is having now, are the basic questions to be asked! Beside, the controversial-past, could Imran Khan & his Pakistan Tahreek Insaaf be capable enough to cope up with the existing problems of Pakistan? We would run a brief look at it carefully.

Pakistan is facing number of critical issues, the integral one is Balochistan. Unfortunately since over last two decades this far flung province is run by Frontier Constablery (FC), a powerful agency of military establishment. Hence the democratic process is also at the feet of this agency, and the out come of this type of dictatorial ruling is "missing persons, dead bodies of young Balochis, mid night raids, etc." This has resulted that national anthem of Pakistan is a bannded item in that territory and national falgs are visible at military installations only. Imran Khan or PTI with soft corner for military establishment, is not having any political roots in Balochistan, though they announced their 3rd public meeting at Quetta on 23rd March 2012 but the wounds could be mend as they are thought! The mood with Balochi youngsters, to apprehend Pervaiz Musharraf for the killing of Sardar Akber Bugti, is quite visible in Baluchistan & known to Imran Khan and all political forces. Hence, like other Pakistani political parties including Mian Nawaz Sharif or President Zardari, Imran Khan's PTI would not be able to convince angry Baloch youngsters in coming years until they bring former dictator to court of law for killing of Bugti. This is a dream that couldn’t come true as long as political parties are using “hidden hands” of military establishment for their own power-gain game!

Second, the polarized Pakistani society where terrorism is evolved through sectarianism is the new dimension of concentration and work. Taleban factor has reached at its peak in Pakistani terrotiary rather than Afghanistan. This requires great balance between the Universities educated elites of Pakistan and the conservative Madrasa students who –time & again- support Afghan Taleban and consider them as future saviour of Pakistan with an assumption that religious association could bring “revolution” in Pakistan. These are two extremes, none of the political leader of Pakistan, in last two decades, was able to bridge this gap or bring two-arch rivals together for the sake of Pakistan. Could Imran Khan, with his pro-West background, be able to work in this direction? The answer as of today is no. Imran Khan has raised his Taleban thoughts with the condemnation of US policies however it is quite visible today that he is aligning himself with those who had handed over Dr. Afia Siddiqui to US authorities in past. This contradiction could result in the form of great loss for PTI or Imran Khan in coming years! (By Dr. Nadia Khan)