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Friday, March 29, 2024

Free advice and ground realities!

Haider Raza Mehdi |

People have tons of free advice and opinions to offer from the sidelines without understanding context and environment.

We want the world to operate the way our individual minds think.

We don’t understand the challenges of the person in the field, in the trenches in the thick of struggle and battle.

We pontificate from the sidelines but are not willing to step into the ring.

Go in Sir.  Go and join a political party and strive for change and you will see and encounter the challenges of even influencing change within the party, let alone the government or the country! It’s a hard slugfest!

Pakistan will not get another like him for a long time, if we miss this fighting chance to take Pakistan back from the criminal clutches of the Sharifs and Zardaris and their loot and plunder.

So, either do it or shut up!

I support Imran not because he’s an “undhay may kaana Raja”, but because he is an exceptional individual who has achieved the near impossible in this baradari ridden, mafia-controlled political status quo.

He came from nowhere to become, today, arguably the most popular political leader of the most popular political party.

He singlehandedly broke the stranglehold of the two corrupt mafioso like parties. PML-N and PPP.

Read more: Pakistan’s ‘Tipping Point’

He singlehandedly, despite opposition from his own advisors, launched the Dharna and the 2nd Nov 2016 protest, which eventually led to the SC taking up the Panama case leading to Nawaz’s disqualification.

He has changed politics and given people hope.

His party brought significant change in KPK in its first opportunity to govern. Despite not being in the driving seat and having to work with traditional politicians like Khattak or complete novices in the KPK cabinet. Perhaps not as much as the free advice givers would want. But still substantial. And most importantly he tried against the odds and was still able to bring change in many areas!

He’s not perfect. Far from it. But he is exceptional.

Only a person with his resolve and determination and commitment would have continued for 22 years, despite the challenges, the entrenched status quo of the corrupt, as well as his own blunders and mistakes.

But grant him this. That he has tried every possible political approach and has taken corrective action, cruelly termed U-turns and learned from his mistakes.

Read more: Why we should support Imran Khan

It takes a great person of character to acknowledge one’s errors and learn from them.

Pakistan will not get another like him for a long time, if we miss this fighting chance to take Pakistan back from the criminal clutches of the Sharifs and Zardaris and their loot and plunder.

Our choices will determine our future.

Choose wisely!

Syed Haider Raza Mehdi is the current Convenor of The Strategy Study Group, founded by the late Col. S. G. Mehdi M. C, former Group Commander of Pakistan Army’s Special Services Group (SSG). Haider is a former Pakistan Army officer, corporate leader, management consultant, business trainer, and serial entrepreneur. The views expressed here are author’s own and do not necessarily reflect GVS editorial policy.