PTI: Breaking The Monopoly In Karachi, And Pakistan
Imran Khan does not want confrontation with anyone at this moment. But hes confronting them all right.
SPECIAL REPORT | Saturday | 24 December 2011
PakNationalists.com
ISLAMABAD, PakistanYou dont want a fight with the bull but you go to his home wearing red. Thats what PTI is doing in Karachi .
Imran khans PTI is avoiding direct criticism of ANP and MQM, the two parties that hold Pakistans largest city hostage to violent and divisive politics. Most Karachiites are sick of both but cant talk. And Imran wont too. Its called politics. The focus now is to get rid of the ruling PPP and the second largest party, the PMLN.
PTI wants to avoid any sideshows at the moment. And this is a wise strategy.
But make no mistake: PTI is shaking all of them in the knees. And if anyone thinks ANP and MQM are happy to see PTI in town, he is mistaken.
PTIs rally in Karachi is the first major rally for any Pakistani political party in that city in a decade. It ends an abnormal situation where one or two Karachi-based parties have controlled Pakistans largest city using violent and divisive politics. Imran Khans rally will break this monopoly.
Karachiites are staunch pro-Pakistan patriots. These are the people who created a world record in August for the largest number of people singing the national anthem in open air at one place. Nearly 6,000 boys, girls, women, children, senior citizens and families from all parts of Karachi joined in this event. And like the rest of Pakistanis, Karachiites are yearning for change. And they dont believe in the divisive linguistic politics that ANP, MQM and PPPP have introduced in the city.
And its not just Karachi. Pakistani political parties have become too divisive and violent. They use different Pakistani languages to divide. They train party workers for chaos and arm them to create secret militias to sort out opponents. Some of them divide Pakistanis on sectarian basis.
And then comes PTI. It has members from every Pakistani district. Younger Pakistanis are more assimilated and comfortable in their national identity. Many of them speak more than one Pakistani language and feel at home anywhere in the country. They feel closer to PTI than any other existing political party. Jamaat-e-Islami is the only exception.
A silent divide exists inside PTI between idealists who want the party to introduce new faces and those who dont mind taking in tried-and-tested politicians with questionable past.
But this divide doesnt matter for the time being since everyone is focused on the objective and trusts Imran Khan to do the right thing. Besides, taking in older politicians is good because it is creating ripples in the media and making other parties insecure. Political hordes are flocking to PTI because they know the countrys two largest parties are sinking ships.
Whether it wins or loses, PTI is creating history not just by pulling in record numbers of crowds at rallies and by activating Pakistans middle class, but also by breaking the monopoly of failed political parties that rely on linguistic or provincial divisions to attract public attention. Thats PTIs biggest contribution. And it has the potential to change the face of Pakistani politics for good.
© 2007-2011. All rights reserved. PakNationalists.com
Verbatim copying and distribution of this entire article is permitted in any medium
without royalty provided this notice is preserved.
Imran Khan does not want confrontation with anyone at this moment. But hes confronting them all right.
SPECIAL REPORT | Saturday | 24 December 2011
PakNationalists.com
ISLAMABAD, PakistanYou dont want a fight with the bull but you go to his home wearing red. Thats what PTI is doing in Karachi .
Imran khans PTI is avoiding direct criticism of ANP and MQM, the two parties that hold Pakistans largest city hostage to violent and divisive politics. Most Karachiites are sick of both but cant talk. And Imran wont too. Its called politics. The focus now is to get rid of the ruling PPP and the second largest party, the PMLN.
PTI wants to avoid any sideshows at the moment. And this is a wise strategy.
But make no mistake: PTI is shaking all of them in the knees. And if anyone thinks ANP and MQM are happy to see PTI in town, he is mistaken.
PTIs rally in Karachi is the first major rally for any Pakistani political party in that city in a decade. It ends an abnormal situation where one or two Karachi-based parties have controlled Pakistans largest city using violent and divisive politics. Imran Khans rally will break this monopoly.
Karachiites are staunch pro-Pakistan patriots. These are the people who created a world record in August for the largest number of people singing the national anthem in open air at one place. Nearly 6,000 boys, girls, women, children, senior citizens and families from all parts of Karachi joined in this event. And like the rest of Pakistanis, Karachiites are yearning for change. And they dont believe in the divisive linguistic politics that ANP, MQM and PPPP have introduced in the city.
And its not just Karachi. Pakistani political parties have become too divisive and violent. They use different Pakistani languages to divide. They train party workers for chaos and arm them to create secret militias to sort out opponents. Some of them divide Pakistanis on sectarian basis.
And then comes PTI. It has members from every Pakistani district. Younger Pakistanis are more assimilated and comfortable in their national identity. Many of them speak more than one Pakistani language and feel at home anywhere in the country. They feel closer to PTI than any other existing political party. Jamaat-e-Islami is the only exception.
A silent divide exists inside PTI between idealists who want the party to introduce new faces and those who dont mind taking in tried-and-tested politicians with questionable past.
But this divide doesnt matter for the time being since everyone is focused on the objective and trusts Imran Khan to do the right thing. Besides, taking in older politicians is good because it is creating ripples in the media and making other parties insecure. Political hordes are flocking to PTI because they know the countrys two largest parties are sinking ships.
Whether it wins or loses, PTI is creating history not just by pulling in record numbers of crowds at rallies and by activating Pakistans middle class, but also by breaking the monopoly of failed political parties that rely on linguistic or provincial divisions to attract public attention. Thats PTIs biggest contribution. And it has the potential to change the face of Pakistani politics for good.
© 2007-2011. All rights reserved. PakNationalists.com
Verbatim copying and distribution of this entire article is permitted in any medium
without royalty provided this notice is preserved.
