Imran confident to win next elections

[Omar1984]

Imran confident to win next elections


ABU DHABI — Cricketer-turned-politician and chief of Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaaf Imran Khan is so sure of winning the next general elections in Pakistan that his party has prepared a draft of things to be implemented in the first 90 days of its government.

“I can tell you that (inshallah) we are going to win next elections,” Imran told a group of bankers, physicians and business executives in Abu Dhabi.

Imran, who was elected only once since he formed his party, and boycotted the last elections, said “now we are prepared for it.”

In his 45-minute speech, Imran said he holds the key to resolve Pakistan’s problems. By introducing “merit, bringing an honest team” and rooting out endemic corruption, he said he will make “the country economically viable.”

Sharing an easy recipe for the total change, a confident Imran said he would replace the agents of ‘status quo’ with a team of 200-250 technocrats, whose integrity will be beyond doubt to overhaul the entire system, mercilessly.

Eliminating corruption and plugging loopholes in tax collection and widening its scope, will not only improve the financial health of a crippling economy, but will introduce “a much-needed good governance, as both are inter-related.”

“All you need is stability, to boost business confidence and bring back scared investors,” he told the gathering, at a reception hosted by a local community leader Dr Talat Mehmood Butt, on Friday evening.

Imran said his party has already brought a revolution by getting cancelled more than 35 million bogus votes, which political parties in the past had got registered to win the elections. He said the two ruling parties together got 18 million votes, in the last polls, they won’t be able to use those votes now to plunder the results,” Imran said.

He said he does not believe in taking approvals from the so-called establishment, as such clearances come with the dictations, also. “Our party believes in the clearance from the people of Pakistan, only,” he told a questioner.

“Your party is going up in the opinion polls. In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, it is number one,” while in the largest province of Punjab, “its rating has soared to 22 per cent from just three per cent, while the PML-N, the ruling party’s popularity has almost halved to 22 per cent,“ only to benefit the PTI. “We will soon overtake the PML-N in Punjab,” he vowed.



Imran confident to win next elections

 

[VCheng]

I wish Imran Khan success in his vision for Pakistan.

 

[CaptainJackSparrow]

I wish Imran Khan success in his vision for Pakistan.

Imran's nothing more than anither puppet being propped up by the pure army.

You listen to any of his speech and all he ever alludes to for all ills plaguing Pakistan, are 'Hukmaraan'.

Guy never even so much as hints towards any resistance whatsoever for the policies of the pure army.

All his ire is always directed solely towards civilian politicians knowing full well how pusillanimous they are when it comes to formulating policies for Pakistan.

What is this if not licking the boots of the army?

 

[muse]

Imran Khan from the heart
By Khaled Ahmed
Published: October 1, 2011

Imran Khan has published an account of his life in Pakistan: A Personal History (Bantam Press 2011), talking of matters he has probably not discussed before, some quite frankly and with regret.

The formative matrix is Zaman Park where he grew up. His maternal grandfather Ahmad Hasan Khan continues to be emblematic of the place. A contemporary noted that in the early years of the 20th century that when he entered the Government College (GC) Lahore, Ahmad Hasan Khan, as a student of the GC, was talk of the town, captaining both cricket and soccer teams. He grew to become the most intellectually gifted of the Pathans of Jalundhar, serving as census commissioner of Punjab at the height of his career as a civil servant.

The sporting DNA came from him, father to three daughters who gave Pakistan three captains (Javed Burki, Majid Khan, Imran Khan) of the national cricket team. Of the three, Imran’s mother was the most educated. Under her tutelage Imran achieved excellence in both aspects of personality, sport and intellect. Typically, at Zaman Park, he was withdrawn and wild, conforming to the first law of the jungle, survival of the fittest.

Ahmad Hasan Khan’s son Ahmad Raza Khan went on to embody Zaman Park’s arcadian model: he played all sports with distinction and was a natural leader in civil service. Majid Khan’s father Dr Jehangir Khan combined in his genius a scholar-historian and a javelin-throwing wrestler who became an all-India cricketer.

Following the completion of his A-levels in 1972 from Aitchison College Lahore, Imran went to Oxford (p.57). He already liked the defiance of Bhutto who had committed Pakistan to a thousand-year war with India at the UN. But Bhutto fell early enough because of his embedded flaw of a feudal mind (p.40).

Memory inclined him to abhor what he calls the brown sahibs of Pakistan whom he first saw in Lahore Gymkhana where “Pakistanis pretended to be English and danced to western music on a Saturday night” (p.43). Gora sahib British had embedded an inferiority complex amongst the natives with great care (p.45).

He loved cricketers who refused to kowtow: “Sir Vivian Richards from the West and Sunil Gavaskar of India were both examples of sportsmen who wanted to assert their equality on the cricket field against their former colonial masters” (p.64). British Raj had romanced the Pathan highlander even as he fought him, admiring his defiance.

As captain of the Pakistan team, Imran got on well with General Ziaul Haq although “his political use of Islam was aimed more at capturing the mood of the time” (p.69). He thought Islamisation was mere outward observance and remained untouched by it. (Later Captain Inzimamul Haq would preside over a crudely demonstrative religiosity that left the team empty of all ethic. Today, after Talibanisation, even Miandad says he used to do wuzu before going in to bat.)

Imran imbibed a strong sense of personal destiny. He recalls: “Pir Gi from Sahiwal said I would be very famous and make my mother a household name” (p.89). Imran had announced his first retirement when he met another clairvoyant: “Baba Chala, lived in a little village just a few miles from the Indian border. He certainly had not heard bout my retirement… the man looked at me and said I had not left my profession…. It is the will of Allah; you are still in the game” (p.93).

But the man who stood by him as his spiritual mentor was Mian Bashir (d.2005) who shocked him by naming the Quranic ayat his mother used to read to baby Imran and predicted that Allah had turned the tables in his favour in the Lamb-Botham libel suit whose reparations would have pauperised Imran (p.189). Mian Bashir also disarmed a sceptical Jemima by accurately guessing her three secret wishes (p.120).

Imran married Jemima in 1995 but the marriage was on the rocks soon enough. He is graceful in his expression of sincere regret at what happened: “The six months leading up to our divorce and the six months after, made up the hardest year of my life” (p.214). If the book is a personal narrative, Jemima probably deserved more space. She was of far greater personal worth than he realises although he is appropriately grateful that his two wonderful sons are growing up with her in England, away from the violent dystopia of Pakistan.

Jemima and Princess Diana were both good for Imran and his cancer hospital. His icons looked for the ‘autonomous woman’ in their dedicated lives. Allama Iqbal had his Atiya Fyzee and Jinnah his Ruttie. Inspirational, predestined Imran had his ‘rational’ Jemima?

He discusses his pre-marital “hedonism” and calls it “a mirage”: “The hurt I caused and the feeling of emptiness I experienced in transitory relationships far out-weighed the moments of pleasure” (p.91). He is aware of the ‘born again’ label and resists it, even recalling Fazal Mehmood, the playboy fast bowler of Pakistan, who went heavily religious after retirement from cricket. He is more firmly moored in Allama Iqbal and Jinnah who Sarojini Naidu thought (p.18) was “a little aloof and imperious of manner” — just like Imran Khan?

From his sense of predestination comes his risk-taking character. But he says: “The difference between a good leader and a bad one is that the former takes huge risks while fully grasping the consequences of failure. Leaders of a country shaping policies out of fear of losing power have always proves to be disastrous. Great leaders always have the ability to resist pressure and make policies according to their vision, rather than fear” (p.113).

A most falsifying aspect of leadership is its condition of being a public good. Imran has read his Allama Iqbal and Ali Shariati, but he may finally be more like Syed Qutb, too reactive, too much a politician of extremes.

Coda: The cover picture of Imran with a punk thatch may be too brown sahibish compared to the more impromptu and ‘true’ photographs inside the book.

 

[VCheng]

Imran's nothing more than anither puppet being propped up by the pure army.

You listen to any of his speech and all he ever alludes to for all ills plaguing Pakistan, are 'Hukmaraan'.

Guy never even so much as hints towards any resistance whatsoever for the policies of the pure army.

All his ire is always directed solely towards civilian politicians knowing full well how pusillanimous they are when it comes to formulating policies for Pakistan.

What is this if not licking the boots of the army?

His VISION for Pakistan I do support. His METHODS may be something else. I hope you can see the distinction.

Things are at such a tipping point in Pakistan that I do wish his VISION to succeed, no matter what METHODS are employed. In tihs case, I can easily argue that the ends may justify the means.

 

[Omar1984]

Imran's nothing more than anither puppet being propped up by the pure army.

You listen to any of his speech and all he ever alludes to for all ills plaguing Pakistan, are 'Hukmaraan'.

Guy never even so much as hints towards any resistance whatsoever for the policies of the pure army.

All his ire is always directed solely towards civilian politicians knowing full well how pusillanimous they are when it comes to formulating policies for Pakistan.

What is this if not licking the boots of the army?

Stay out of our internal politics.

Whoever wants to serve the interests of Pakistan becomes your enemy, and whoever is bad for Pakistan becomes your favorite person.

You indians would rather see this man be Pakistan's President for all of eternity:

It'll be much better for Pakistan if our next leader is a puppet of our own army, than a puppet of some other country's army.

 

[CaptainJackSparrow]

His VISION for Pakistan I do support. His METHODS may be something else. I hope you can see the distinction.

Things are at such a tipping point in Pakistan that I do wish his VISION to succeed, no matter what METHODS are employed. In tihs case, I can easily argue that the ends may justify the means.

Honestly, what exactly is his vision?

AFAIK, he has never promulgated any significant policy that he plans to enact if and when he comes in power.

His vision only seems to be to hoodwink the awaam into supporting him by playing the 'hukmaraan' card.

 

[muse]

He has a "vision" ? Not surprising given all the Pirs and clairvoyants, and "spiritual guides" who seem to populate his life - how he found time for them between the women may be the stuff of another book

 

[CaptainJackSparrow]

Stay out of our internal politics.

Ohh!!!


Omar is pissed offf....

Please don't cry Omar. Please don't cry.



---------- Post added at 08:39 AM ---------- Previous post was at 08:37 AM ----------

Fact remains that Imran also, like other Pakistani politicians, seeks to seize power and then present his own self as gift to the pure army.

At the end of the day, it's still the Army running Pakistan. Only the mask changes.

 

[muse]

Ohh!!!


Omar is pissed offf....

Please don't cry Omar. Please don't cry.

Please remember that Omar has soft power too, Mister

 

[monitor]

Pakistan needs new leadership
Posted on October 2, 2011 by


By Anwer Mooraj

Sami Shah put it rather nicely in his recent column in this newspaper “What sovereignty are we talking about?” (September 29) when he wrote that Pakistan lost its sovereignty ages ago. ‘We traded it for short-term gain with all the foresight of a native American tribe handing over huge tracts of land for a few beads and snacks.’ Sami Shah was, in effect voicing the opinion of a large number of citizens in this blighted republic who endorse the view that in the land of the pure, the leaders from the time of Ayub Khan have been terminally hampered by the thought that the country could survive on military aid, a few hand outs and a dose of patronizing fondness, halcyon sentiment and promises to paint a picture of the country in velvet.

And so, while the leaders of the current government continue to talk — with an eye-rolling credulity and a cute innocence, occasionally sugaring the grit, and claiming that it is not really their fault if the advancement of progress has been mugged by events — the country continues to drift on an uncharted ocean. The decision whether Pakistan should once and for all cut the umbilical cord with the super power, or just make a few incisions was, of course, discussed by the troika which includes a peerlessly servile prime minister and a terse and steely army chief. The ineffably wise and deceptively simple village elders in the north who display a grudging admiration for Iran who has exhibited a fierce independence, would like the country to go it alone. The rich and influential who live an exceptionally leisurely life and stand to lose a great deal would not like to rock the boat. They don’t have to worry because the Americans are being sensible and have toned down their rhetoric. The crisis on the international front seems to have passed. But what about the crisis on the national front, where the current government has established some sort of record for deficit financing and inflation which is crushing the common man?

In the United States and the United Kingdom, voters invariably tire of the government in power and cheerfully throw in their lot with the opposition at the next election. But even in those countries where the media is relatively free, important decisions that affect the people are not taken in an open and transparent manner, with a degree of public consultation along the way. Crucial matters are decided away from the public gaze in shadowy meetings of the rich and powerful beneath a cloak of secrecy. Things are no different in Pakistan. The difference, however, lies in the fact that while the Brits under Cameron have managed to do quite nicely, thank you, in Pakistan people desperately need a change of government. The tragedy is, voters don’t really have very much to choose from.

The PPP leadership has wasted a lot of time making alliances with other parties when their supreme was not traipsing around the world on goodwill missions. He has not really been able to come up with a single positive thought or programme that could benefit the country in any way. Even his secularism and fidelity were seriously in question when he couldn’t even attend the funeral of the Punjab governor who belonged to his party. Nawaz Sharif, who did leave behind him a short trail of achievements, did precious little for the women of this country and has the reputation of leaning a little too far towards the religious right. As for the religious parties, they refute everything that the founder of the nation stood for and want to turn the country into a theocracy.

The old guard has been tried and tested and has failed. What the nation desperately needs is a new leader, somebody with an unblemished political record, somebody who cares for the country and its people, who understands the need for implementing the rule of law and can stand up to the bullies wherever they are. The next election will be crucial. One can only hope the voters make the right choice.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 2nd, 2011.

 

[VCheng]

Honestly, what exactly is his vision?

AFAIK, he has never promulgated any significant policy that he plans to enact if and when he comes in power.

His vision only seems to be to hoodwink the awaam into supporting him by playing the 'hukmaraan' card.

He has a "vision" ? Not surprising given all the Pirs and clairvoyants, and "spiritual guides" who seem to populate his life - how he found time for them between the women may be the stuff of another book

His vision of a Pakistan that is corruption-free and progressing socially is what I agree with.

If you go back to my posts in threads on PTI and its manifesto, I have openly expressed my skepticism that he will be able to achieve this, on the grounds that the deals he will need to make it into power will be the very thing that prevents him from realizing his vision.

 

[muse]

The next election will be crucial. One can only hope the voters make the right choice.

No Sh_t Sherlock - is there a national election that is not "crucial"? the right choice would be anybody but the Zardari and his PPP? Sure , Why not

 

[CaptainJackSparrow]

His vision of a Pakistan that is corruption-free and progressing socially is what I agree with.

If you go back to my posts in threads on PTI and its manifesto, I have openly expressed my skepticism that he will be able to achieve this, on the grounds that the deals he will need to make it into power will be the very thing that prevents him from realizing his vision.

Sure his vision of achieving a corruption-free society is commendable.

Fact remains, though, that unless the jarnails give him absolute authority over the country, is is not going to happen.

Ultimately, he ends up being just another politician. All talk and no action to show for it.

 

[muse]

his vision of achieving a corruption-free society

Please help me out - exactly how do we get to "corruption free"?? According to Imran Khan