Is House of Gujrat being washed away by PTI

Is the House of Gujrat going down, thanks to PTI and Imran Khan who takes pride in leading a tsunami that would inundate the corridors of the corrupt and pervert forces whether they come in the way or remain aloof on the sidelines? Or is this tsunami directed against other political forces?

While trying to find an answer, one has to take into account the general impression being propagated by certain quarters that PTI has virtually assumed the role of a superman-crushing ‘Krypton’ for the superman of Nawaz League, Mian Nawaz Sharif. But an indepth examination of the prevailing situation reveals different facts as the main victim appears to be PML-Q that has been relegated from the third political force to the fourth or fifth position with the advent of PTI since the people have, of late, started questioning the raison d’etre of Chaudhrys’ party which, at one time, drew strength from two sources.

One, the military establishment headed by General Pervez Musharraf and secondly, from the meteorite that surfaced on our political landscape after separating from Mian Nawaz Sharif who was at that time taken for a maverick as he had the ‘audacity’ of putting up hurried defiance against the then president of Pakistan Muslim League, Muhammad Khan Junejo, who had been elected through majority votes of Muslim Leaguers.

That anger I mean that anti-Nawaz sentiment of ‘merit-loving’ nay ‘Junejo-loving’ is all over since long (one, however, wonders as to how merit still remains a priority in our political ranks which have undergone so much of decay). And also gone is the Musharraf factor. So, no question of the ‘strength behind’ still remaining intact as is most often claimed by some Chaudhry-lovers.

Now, not even the position of senior minister suffices to bolster up the weak areas and sensitive spots within the body politic of Muslim League of Ch Pervaiz Elahi and Ch Shujaat Hussain. The only hope left within the party is the personal ‘charisma’ of Chaudhry brothers or cousins.

Asking some saner elements within the intelligentsia and political circles as to what should we understand by the term Chaudhry’s ‘charisma’ and whether it reconciled with the ‘Zabist charisma’, the reply was simple and forthright. And that was: “generous use of resources”. What resources and what generosity? The direct ‘affectees’ of this generosity say charisma that instills zeal and fervour among the masses is no more needed. What is needed is job security rather the jobs? What is needed is protection against dacoities, chronic corruption, injustice and socio-economic disparities, not merely fiery speeches that only set the masses’ souls on fire with no follow-up practical work that would bring salvation.

In this context, the ‘affectees’ say that Chaudhrys have surpassed all other leaders in this area that of beneficence but this leaves one question to be answered whether by saying so are the Q-Leaguers or Chaudhrians promoting the idea that governance is all about winning the hearts through doles or is it to be dealt with at a broader, national scale that involves scientific planning, farsightedness and global goodwill, the essential ingredients of becoming the ‘Meere Karwan’ (the mentor and saviour of the caravan of nation).

It is easy to claim that one qualifies to be a ‘Meere Karwan’ but it is extremely difficult to prove one’s mettle in the arena where there is no room for political trickeries and gimmickry that have become history, thanks to the mass awakening. In my humble opinion, if at all a tsunami is coming, it is coming in the shape of this mass awakening or under inspiration from this awakening. The one who musters the power to channelize the tide and the immense energy it generates, will be the ultimate winner.

mianrehman1@gmail.com

Published in The News, December 13^th, 2011

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