The big ‘howevers’

The pattern of commentary on Pakistani politics has fed an argumentative style where a lot of importance is given to what follows a ‘however’ in a comment – the part which supposedly lends the much desired fairness and balance to an observation.

Of course, the biggest of these ‘buts’ precedes the refrain where an analyst is forever engaged in repeating that everything which has been explained is conditional upon the position taken on a political matter by the ‘all-powerful’ establishment in the country. For example, one template regularly applied first describes the pluses of a popular politician, ‘however’ it always quickly adds that the political leader lacks the backing of the military – thus rationalizing the chances of his or her success in the peculiar Pakistani circumstances. This being the prime paradox the political journalists in Pakistan have had to contend with, there have always been other defining ‘buts’ regularly appearing along the path.

Sometimes the opponents of a certain politician appear to be down for the count when they are suddenly uplifted by a moment, an occurrence against the run of play. Those (still) vocally opposing the advance of the Imran Khan procession seem to have greeted a decent report on the man and his politics with so much enthusiasm and excitement usually accorded a turning point in history. The news story in Time magazine has got countless mentions on social media down to conventional newspapers highlighting some of the stark negative points of Imran Khan’s politics, of which selective evasiveness and self-serving arbitrariness have been regular attributes. That Khan's critics have chosen to ‘ignore’ the salient message in the story reveals just how desperate the PTI's opponents are that they have been reduced to clutch at all straws thrown their way.

The story is there, it has been attempted for the simple reason because it shows a man to have reached a certain vantage point, the zenith, in his political journey. It explicitly says that this former cricket icon is poised to get power again despite a misogynistic image his comments have contributed to, his sentiments about religious extremists and the role his policies while in government must have played in Pakistan’s unending woes. It doesn’t have that sense where it could be concluded that ‘however’ these shortcomings are a clear hurdle between the pretender and the coveted crown.

The tendencies the negative aspects in the Imran saga speak of are surely a concern for the future given that we may be ruled by the person in the near future. The overwhelming truth of the moment is they are farthest from the thinking of those who must soon bring their darling leader to power. Notwithstanding the causes that have contributed to the impression, the scenario has been endorsed widely with Khan's rivals being advised to think up ways to contain the phenomenon rather than have illusions of outright prevention. Your and mine fears of an Imran Khan ruling with absolute power most certainly have solid foundations – only we have been neutralized by a crowd that far outnumbers us in this democratic game.

Yes the big ‘however’ may remain, however, with a difference. In fact, two of these howevers. Time is only trying to be overmodest on behalf of the United States when it underestimates the American role in Pakistani politics while telling the Imran Khan story. The superpower remains a big source of ‘ifs’ as well as ‘buts’ here.

Second, this is one occasion in our history where voices have been heard actually questioning whether the erstwhile real establishment had the strength in it to somehow block what has popularly been deemed as inevitable, as reflected in numerous reports of the situation on ground. It is not so much what they want, ‘but’ what they can. If they had the kind of powers that inspire intent, why would they allow the ‘ Imran alternative’ to be embarrassed on so many fronts one after the other? Even if it is conceded that the powers that be do not have the clout they once enjoyed, surely there would have been a few occasions where the setup thrust into power under Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif would have been saved some of the humiliations they suffered.

It is this point about the perceived inability or willingness of the powers that be that brings us back to the debate that has been simmering for some time now. This relates to the serious suspicion about there being stark divisions in the whole that once existed as the omnipotent power structure. Now that will be a discussion most difficult to venture into even in these times of openness displayed by some current and former heads of said structure.

The writer is a senior journalist.