Haider Mehdi
In 2018 I had written that the Status quo elite capturing mafia of kleptocrats and plutocrats headed by the Houses of Sharifs and Bhuttos/ Zardari combine will fight tooth and nail to destroy every attempt to reform Pakistan, with Imran being the most visible symbol of that change.
3 years later one can see how strong, how powerful this mafia still is.
A mafia which is a combination of corrupt politicians, bureaucracy, judiciary, law enforcement agencies and special interest groups in business in a rentier environment and a powerful military not used to playing second fiddle.
One can argue and in many cases, strongly that Imran over promised the “Dream” driven by his own inexperience and limited insights about the rot which infected this moth eaten edifice called Pakistan, prior to taking over the reins of governance.
This is not a justification. But a fact.
One can also argue that his inexperience, his gullibility and his own personal failings added to this huge challenge of reform!
But, and I will say this, and it goes for people like me as well, that all our judgements and opinions on what’s actually transpiring are based on our extremely limited insights about the real challenges which exist and are largely fed by a highly partisan, irresponsible, corrupt media which deliberately misrepresents and distorts half truths, outright lies, cunningly presented to us, the gullible population, as truth, which we lap up to feed our frenzy and reinforce our pre-existing opinions and judgements.
It’s a natural human tendency to first commit our minds to an opinion or a perspective, based on highly superficial and incorrect inputs, and then filter everything we read, hear etc through that prism.
Here’s the reality as I see it.
IK has been the Prime Minister for three years and continously battling and trying to fix the rot.
But also let’s be clear.
IK is not responsible for our economic mess, the price inflation, the terrible state of our institutions, the destruction, rape, loot and plunder and corruption of every single public sector institution of Pakistan.
But he is responsible to now make all efforts to fix it.
He is not responsible for the sectarian hatred and the brainwashing of our youth in becoming zombie like right wing religious zealots.
But he is responsible in changing this hatred into love or at least tolerance.
He’s not responsible for the Plutocracts and Kleptocrats like Nawaz Sharif, Benazir, Zardari, who looted and plundered this land and those military rulers who foisted them on us.
But he is responsible to bring them to Justice.
He is not responsible for 33 years of Military rule which stunted the growth of civilian public sector institutions, created a massively powerful military over extending its role. But he is responsible to restore this balance.
He’s not responsible for having to work with the material that resides in the gutters of Pakistani politics because that is all the current system throws up.
But he is responsible to change the electoral system to allow people of much better quality to come into the corridors of power, authority and influence.
He’s not responsible for the wholesale destruction and corruption and incompetence and politicizing of all our public sector agencies, the bureaucracy, the law enforcement agencies, the lower and superior judiciaries and the military.
But he is responsible to reform them.
He’s not responsible for our rich not paying taxes. For the rentier mind set, for the elite capture.
But he is responsible to change this mindset.
He’s not responsible for selling out our national interests to the USA and their global battle with China, bringing Pakistan into their cross hairs.
But he is responsible to safeguard our national interests.
Yes, dear country people you can hold him responsible for his inexperience of governance, his lack of insights in selecting people and making questionable selections, but these are minor pin pricks compared to the daylight rape, loot, pillage and plunder that this country has been subjected to by the Sharifs, Bhuttos, Zardaris, the so called Religious leaders like Fazlur Rehman and 5th columnists like Asfandyar, Achakzai etc.
So do give him credit that despite his inadequacies, his prior inexperience, his personal challenges and largely having to chose people from the same putrid gutter of political garbage, he’s trying to change the system.
Look at what he’s up against.
A devastated economy which is causing massive inflation.
A corrupt dysfunctional incompetent governance and judicial infrastructure.
A corrupt society with interests tied to corrupt politicians laden with their loot and plunder who will fight to the death to preserve the status quo!
A military chomping at the bits!
Societies and Nation’s transform once there’s a critical mass of the right people in the right places with the right processes to drive the change.
Simple organizations take a minimum of 3 years for the change to manifest and 5 for it to become the new norm.
Timelines for transforming societies?
Pick a number above 10 years, at least, if the forces against it are defeated or weak, not as strong as they are in Pakistan and many within his own party as well.
We sit outside the arena fed daily on this diet of political garbage and nonsense on social and mainstream media for what goes as current affairs hosted by a bunch of performing monkeys called TV anchors, self styled political analysts more like political pimps and politicians more like political prostitutes, shameless in their personal actions and professional actions and deeds.
Can there be a more sickening example of the rot in our society than that of a political leader’s amorous antics splashed across the entire country in full colour and a leader of an opposition party shamelessly retaining him as her spokesperson?
And the silence of our media!
We have completely lost sight of what’s good and bad.
We are unable to distinguish good from evil, so corrupted are our moral templates.
Imran may not be a saint or a magician, but, in my opinion, he’s trying his damned best to save this country from itself.
And he is still our best fighting chance.
Otherwise folks, it’s back to another round of military or quasi military rule or the stench and vomit of the Sharifs, Bhuttos and Zaradaris and what they stand for.
If that happens, say goodbye!
Allah Will Not Change The Condition of a Society, unless it chooses to do so itself!
Haider Mehdi is a Geo political commentator / blogger on National and International affairs. Formerly a media anchor, corporate leader, management consultant, start up entrepreneur and military officer, he tweets @SHaiderRMehdi and blogs on shrmehdi.com
