By Justice Markandey Katju
I have supported Imran Khan in several articles I have written, as I believe he is a far lesser evil than the fascist Pakistan army which is in power in Pakistan, and which unleashed a reign of terror after the events of 9th May, 2023, and got the parliamentary elections held on 8th February 2024 rigged on a massive scale.
I also believe Imran Khan to be basically honest, as compared to the PMLN and PPP leaders, who are a gang of dacoits who looted Pakistan ( as the Panama Papers and other materials disclosed ).
However, that having been said, I have no illusions about Imran Khan, as many Pakistanis seem to be having. I do not believe he can solve any of the basic problems of Pakistan which are socio-economic, viz, its massive and grinding poverty, massive unemployment, appalling level of child malnutrition, skyrocketing prices of food and other essential commodities, almost total lack of proper healthcare and good education for the masses, etc
The test of every political activity and political system is one, and only one : does it raise the standard of living of the people? Does it give them better lives?
From that point of view, I am afraid Imran Khan, even if brought back to power, will do little for the people, if anything at all.
No doubt Imran Khan joined politics In 1996 with the intention to bring about honesty, transparency, and accountability in public life. But after his party, the PTI lost earlier elections, he realised that to win elections he must compromise on his professed principles.
So in the 2018 parliamentary elections he hobnobbed with religious extremists, gave PTI tickets to dubious 'electables' ( corrupt sugar barons and other businessmen ), and shady figures like Amir Liaquat ( whose one TV show resulted in murder of several Ahmadiyas ), and struck a deal with the army to get its support ( he won only 115 of the 270 seats in the National Assembly ).
After becoming Prime Minister in 2018 he removed the eminent internationally renowned economist Atif Mian from the Pakistan's Economic Advisory Council merely because he was an Ahmadi.
Throughout his tenure as Prime Minister Imran Khan spoke on religious lines, calling his ideal 'Madine ki Riyasat'
Many of his views were thoroughly reactionary, e.g. blaming rapes in Pakistan on the allegedly immodest dress Pakistani women wore, and saying that denying education to women was part of Afghan culture which should be respected.
While claiming to be democratic, soon after he became PM in August 2018 he jailed or got disqualified many political opponents. Wealthy political 'electables' switched sides and joined the PTI. The media began pushing a pro-Imran Khan narrative, and those which didn't were shut down or harrassed.
When a no-confidence motion was brought against him in the National Assembly, instead of allowing a vote on it, Imran Khan told the Dy Speaker Qasam Khan Suri to reject the motion without voting.
He said taking loans from IMF was slavery, but 9 months later took one, and asked Saudi Arabia for a $ 3 billion loan.
One can go on and on about his tenure as PM. He was just a populist and reactionary demagogue, with little in his head.
Pakistanis think all their problems will be solved once Imran Khan is released and he is again made PM after fresh elections. They are like children following a Pied Piper of Hamelin.
It is time some cold water is thrown on their faces, and they are woken up to the world of reality.
(Justice Katju is a retired judge of the Supreme Court of India. These are his personal views.)
