Why Imran Khan Is No More A Democrat

Democracy is a process. After many fits and starts, we finally got it going in the past 5 years, We had the first peaceful transition from one to the next democratically elected government last year. Was the election 100% fair. Probably not. Was it fairer than earlier ones. Absolutely. Do we think that Nawaz Sharif, the current prime minister, is doing even half of what he should or his advisors are apt, heck no.

But here’s the thing. Imran Khan (for whom I voted) wants to abrogate this system because he thinks there was rigging in either 4 or 10 seats (the story changes with time). Nevermind that his party was short by about 140 seats. Nevermind that his own polling agents called the election in Nawaz Sharif’s favor (his party leaders tweeted congrats to NS BEFORE the election was called even by the media), Nevermind that international and civil society observers thought that although some rigging did happen,it went both way (Free And Fair Elections Network report is available online at FAFEN.org). And nevermind that in review the high courts and the supreme courts agreed that the elections were fair enough to stand.

Still no one grudges IK his point of view. If he wants to believe it then that is his right. If he says so to his workers, that is also his right. However if he wants to abolish our current system in order to be declared PM (or king) on the force of a mob of 10-20,000 that he is using to lay Islamabad (and all of us) to siege, this is reprehensible. He wont agree to any other opinion than his own for the veracity of the elections and has already discounted the national election commission, previous chief justice and the civil society as being partisan.

And btw, crowds that have besieged Islamabad on the behest of IK and his co-agitator Tahir ul Qadri must have cost an estimated PKR 1+ billion thus far to keep, transport and feed. Who paid for this and what will be their pound of flesh for it.

We want Pakistan to improve. We dont like the rampant poverty, avoidable deaths, the misery that is so unnecessary. We also understand that the current group of politicians (including now Imran Khan and his cronies) are too corrupt and inept to deliver against these. But we also recognize a slow change where the voters have voted out incompetents in the last 3 elections. The change is slow but there. We like it and want it to continue. While it does, we will tolerate inept politicians as long as we the people have the power to change them. And we resent Imran Khan abrogating that system to take that power from us. So IK, no more tantrums. Please go home and stay. Be at peace. You were once hailed as a democrat. No more.