Imran Khan and Swat

Imran Khan has been making the rounds with TV presenters and talk show hosts ever since the Rah-e-Haq Operation went into action. His immediate press release after the military move stated the military operation should have been the last resort and called for an inquiry to ascertain who violated the Swat accord first.

On Express News, yesterday, Imran Khan claimed to know what the people of Swat really want. He kept saying, over and over, that the people of Valley just want peace. Apparently, the accord with Sufi Muhammad was perfect in this context.

The first thing I would like to know is, Mr. Imran Khan, what poll did you conduct in the Valley to ascertain what the people wanted? Do you have a breakdown of their demographics? Were you able to access the female population that has been forced into house arrest by the Taliban and Sufi’s barbaric form of Sharia? Could we see the full results of this poll, including the questions asked?

And, if you haven’t conducted a poll, what long-standing connections do you have in the Valley that opens you up to the pulse of its population? What network of people have you set up to gather and analyse information from the general population (and, especially, from the women), besides what the Swat Bar Association head (who happens to also be a card-carrying member of the party) passes on to you? Tell me this, then. What treasure of data is this gentleman sitting on? Can it be shared? Or are you arrogant enough to believe that a random person living in Swat speaks for the entire population?

It’s a pity more people cannot see your hypocrisy: you claim your party wants to bring justice to the nation, yet you supported and admired the cruelty of Taliban rule after the Soviets withdrew (read Hasan Shakoor’s letter to you on Chowk). You say you helped bring about the restoration of a free judiciary, yet you cannot stop from beaming with pride at the implementation of a completely autonomous judicial system in Malakand – barely months after your CJ of choice came back to the bench. Are we to take from this stand the fact that you really have no faith in the restored judiciary of Pakistan? You say you are a muslim, but you clearly support the terrorists who commit suicide for their cause. May I ask what religion on earth allows suicide, leave alone Islam?

Frankly, Mr. Khan, you’ve shown yourself to be just another politician. Like the deluded leaders of a quarter of this nation, you like to believe you act and speak on behalf of this nation. I’m pretty sure none of you do. PPP, PML(N), PTI, JI, JUI, MMA – the whole lot who claim to speak for 160 million people based on the number of votes cast – well, they need to check their numbers.

Of the roughly 180 million population of Pakistan, approximately 44 million are eligible to vote: that’s less than a quarter of the entire nation. Out of the eligible voters, the Pakistan Election Commission lists a 45% turnout for the February 08 elections. Which means about 12% of this nation actually voted anyone into office. Divide those further into the myriad parties and independent candidates fielding the votes, and the truth is that no single party nor any coalition party in Pakistan can truthfully say that they speak for a majority.

Of the voters who do vote for any single party, a large population is bused in from outlying districts and paid the equivalent of one month’s salary in order to cast their votes in favor of the payee. I know a young boy who insists, no matter what we say, that one month’s salary is worth the trouble, and that the politics of the nation have no effect on him or his family’s daily lives. His family works for a feudal lord in South Punjab; he cares for my ailing father here in Karachi, and earns more than his entire family combined.

There are no honest votes here. And Imran Khan can’t seem to get a single one. This may be the only thing in your favor, Mr. Khan – that you’re too honest to buy the votes. But you aren’t really bright or savvy and your political ideology favors the barbarians, and however honest you may be, barbarians and corrupt politicians are two peas in a pod. I care for neither.