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Imran can?

जागरण संपादकीय ब्लॉग
जागरण संपादकीय ब्लॉग
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Imran Can?
It is seldom that Indian politicians across party lines converge on any subject. However, the response of our leaders to Imran Khan becoming the next prime minister of Pakistan belies the ever so prevalent polarization in our polity.
There is an almost universal consensus that Imran has been propped up by the Pakistan army for they saw in him a popular yet a pliant candidate. His autonomy as the prime minister, as was with his predecessors, will be severely constrained by the army, especially in matters of security and foreign policy. Well, not just heretic, it would be rather moronic to question the above view that is shared by the Indian public and the world at large.
Nevertheless the pacifists may still want to conjecture if Imran would have the strength of character to buttress a polyphonic argument? Whether expectant or dismissive, it wouldn’t hurt to subject the head of a democratically elected civilian government of a bellicose neighbor to some scrutiny.
Imran Khan has been arguably amongst the most talented and unquestionably the most charismatic and statistically successful cricketer in the world. He was one of a kind of captain, who more than a skipper of a bunch of talented but capricious players whom he moulded into a consistent top-performing unit, was a leader of men. On the cricket field, he was gifted, committed, fortunate and redoubtable. For a decade he was everything in Pakistan cricket- captain, coach, mentor, selector. After his playing days, he enhanced his reputation as a philanthropist before taking a plunge into politics.
It would only be naïve to assume that given the man’s track record he would be able to replicate his erstwhile accomplishments in his latest role. Politics in Pakistan is known to be far more treacherous than the 22 yards of the cricket field. The world has seen contrasting and conflicting traits in his personality. He has been a suave, educated and liberal celebrity on one hand and a born again fundamentalist Muslim who earned the moniker ‘Taliban Khan” on the other. Well hypocrite for sure but this volte-face attitude is euphemistically referred to and often perceived as amenability in politics which is always an asset.
In his victory speech, Imran expressed a desire to improve relations with India. At the same time he has often remarked that Kashmir remains the core contentious issue between the feuding neighbors suggesting that relations cannot improve pending resolution of this imbroglio.
If we were to denude the Kashmir issue of the complexities of foreign policy, geo political repercussions and view it through the lens of simple logic, the dispute may not appear as knotty. The United Nations resolution, which talked about carrying a plebiscite in Kashmir, also specified the withdrawal of Pakistani forces as a condition precedent. That hasn’t happened since 1948 and hence 70 years thereafter, referendum has been rendered impossible. Now you cannot traverse back 70 years in time to ascertain public opinion for then you may as well go back 71 years and determine public opinion on partition of the Indian subcontinent itself. Pakistan’s argument that questions the merger of Kashmir with India deliberately overlooks the fact that the law that ratified the annexation was the same British law under the provisions of which the state of Pakistan was carved out of India. What is sauce for goose is sauce for gander has been an elementary principle of jurisprudence.
Imran Khan may possess the intellect to decipher the reality of Kashmir but perhaps not the capacity to convince his constituency. For so long that he continues to parrot what the Pakistani army has been gratuitously and fatuously insisting about implementing the UN resolution, there will be no way forward.
It will be portentous how Imran deals with the international terrorists and fugitives? Whether he will be able to rein in the rogue elements and disallow Pakistan to be a safe haven for perpetrators of violence in India and rest of the world? If for them Kashmir is an obsession, for us cross border terrorism is the core issue. Till the time the accused of 93 blasts, 26/11 and other such heinous crimes are brought to justice, until infiltration and cease fire violation is checked, India may find it difficult to engage with Pakistan. Delivery on this count will hinge on Imran’s relationship with the army. He is widely expected to be only their stooge, however, please be mindful that he remains the most revered and endearing figure in Pakistan, an eternal icon in a country starved of heroes. He now with the alleged unfair aid of the forces, has the popular mandate as well. Plus he is a Pathan, the proud warrior tribe that claims to be the only people from the subcontinent who were never conquered even by the British.
Imran had in reference to his combative compatriot Miandad once quipped that the process of evolution seems to have bypassed Javed. It may have been tongue in cheek humor for him but we Indians or rather the cricket-playing world couldn’t have agreed more.
Today most of the civilized, democratic world opines that this evolution process has bypassed the so-called Pakistan deep state. Will Imran remain obsequious and subservient or the Kaptaan and the Pathan rise up to the challenge? The possibility is of course bleak but for the sake of peace and progress lets hope he emerges a statesman from a demagogue. For Pakistan, he is perhaps that last thing which came out of the Pandora’s box-hope. The moderate elements would want the state to prevail upon the deep state just as it should in any civil democracy. How things unfold, is in the realm of future, albeit if Imran Khan’t, doubt anyone in that country can. Well this time around, he will be bowling to his own army. Is there any reverse swing left Mr. Khan?

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