You know most people in Pakistan have the tolerance to listen to hack politicians like Imran Khan jabber about the state of the country because of their memory of him as a cricket star, but I think that he has gone one step too far in publicly endorsing Condoleezza Rice’s comments about Shaukat Aziz. To set the record straight, Condi, the epitome of a failed politician that is unable to get a president to listen, has written a tell-all book about how her career in politics called “Twice as Good: Condoleezza Rice and Her Path to Power.”
Condi has given a laughable assessment of Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz, who has led the economic revival in Pakistan during the Musharraf government calling him “Savile Row-suited gigolo” and that he bragged to Western diplomats “that he could conquer any women in two minutes.” First, I have never believed anything that Condi has to say because she has always been the mouthpiece of a failed US President, defending the Iraq War, the pullout of troops from Afghanistan and allowing Israel to continue to bomb Lebanon last summer. But what I find funny is that even if Shaukat said it, which I will doubt until someone can confirm it, he at least didn’t touch her, unlike US President George W. Bush attempting to give German Chancellor Angela Merkel a back rub at last year’s G8 meeting, which I think is more of a gigolo move than anything that Shaukat said.
But what is more humorous is the well-known ladies man in Pakistan, Imran Khan, trumpeting his praise of Condi’s comments. Now many of us remember Imran Khan’s colored past and for those that don’t know about his paternity cases, the Sita White love child scandal, the “adoption” of the same love child and adoption again, the demands of the love child, Jemina Khan, Imran’s ex-wife, being charged with smuggling Mughal antiques out of Pakistan illegally, and the claims that he was asked by Diana, Princess of Wales, to play Cupid so she could marry a heart surgeon. All this without even discussing the 5 million Pound Sterling campaign donation for Imran to become a politician in Pakistan from Lord Goldsmith himself.
Imran Khan is doing nothing more than trying to become a politician of record because his political party, Tehrik-e-Insaaf, has been unable to catapult him into any real spotlight as one. I quite enjoy listening to him defending his political ineptness by saying that “its a banana republic country” and “a rubber stamp parliament” for a dictator as President. But when offered opportunity to serve the nation first as Prime Minister, he refused; then again as Chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board, he refused again. Sounds to me like you have a confidence issue since Jemina kicked you to the curb… but then your political career has been nothing less than a comedy of errors. When he first launched himself into politics, he swore that if elected, he would hang every corrupt person in the country, needless to say he lost that election. Then, he tried to change his position, only to lose again. Tell me something Imran, do you really think that the religious parties that you side with on the opposition will give you any support come election time?
Today, Imran Khan, the “warrior for justice,” has formed a political alliance with those same people that he wanted to hang when he came into politics…. anything for a chance at power, right Imran?
Kamran Shafi provides a very interesting analysis of Imran Khan on his blog:
While he is undeniably one of the greatest sportsmen ever, and while he has to be appreciated greatly for putting up a super hospital, all of the moves he has made since taking up politics were/are ill advised, even foolish and opportunistic. He spoke deprecatingly and loudly and often against “Brown Sahibs” i.e., people who wear Western clothes in Pakistan while he himself did likewise when abroad, particularly while dancing the night away in nightclubs and joints such as the snooty Annabelle’s dressed in DJs. He wrote reams supporting Jirga justice, and against women working outside the home: he had the audacity indeed, to suggest that women were better employed having children and bringing up the next generation. There was also the matter of that paternity thing which, if handled in a straight-forward manner would have only raised Imran’s stature in the eyes of the majority of this country’s good and kind people. That is not all. He went blue in the face insisting against clear evidence, that Sir James Goldsmith was not Jewish, as if anybody gave a damn if he was. I mean if a case had to be made against an Establishment which might try and turn Sir James’ religion into a stick with which to beat Imran, he could have countered with invoking the name of Henry Kissinger out of whose hands the most powerful of the most powerful Pakistanis ate…..
In any case Jemima Goldsmith was a well-liked figure in Pakistan — when did her father’s professed religion ever colour people’s perceptions of her? More than any other instance that shows us Imran Khan’s character is that in which he was caught red-handed poaching partridges in Chakwal along with several of his influential friends. Now, while the game-watcher who challaned Imran and friends for the crime and confiscated the shot birds insists he was the man who booked him, Imran has consistently stuck to stout denial. While there is over-whelming evidence, the man will simply not admit his fault and apologize and promise he will never poach again. It is another matter that the State failed to prosecute him at the time because the wheels of influence and back-scratching came into motion and brought the whole proceeding to a grinding halt. It is yet another matter that in a country where very few in government do an honest days work, a poor game-watcher did his with great courage. May I once more call upon the Big General to take note of the game-watcher’s diligence and award him a high civil award. Worse than any of the above of course, is Imran Khan’s putting his lot in with the backward cleric for political expediency. By far the worse. There is time, however, for Imran Khan to apologize for his past transgressions and redeem himself in the eyes of the people, just as there is time for others in public life.
But while Imran Khan is busy making a spectacle of himself, the leaders of the nation have passed the Women’s Protection Bill, repealing a highly controversial section of the Hudood Ordinance; revived the national economy to the point of Pakistan’s foreign exchange reserves reaching record levels (US$ 13 billion); stood outside and watched Pakistan regain ex-pat and foreign investor confidence to be able to slowly start building stability and lower the national debt; a massive growth in the IT revolution with foreign owned IT parks planned around the country; and watch the country come under one national cause: Sub Sey Pehley Pakistan (Pakistan First).
So I am left to ask one question: Imran Khan… what have you done for us lately?
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19 Comments
Condoleeza Rice is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations, the CFR. She has to be one of the ugliest women on the planet and I’m not talking about her looks, though you might be tempted to think so.
Beside personal and political life of Imran, I always followed Pakistan cricket and found Imran Khan to be very biased and in some case prejudiced towards Karachi cricketers. Ian Chappel said after ‘92 World Cup that Pakistan could have never won the Cup if it wasn’t for Javed Miandad. Imran and his ‘Chamchas’ never acknowledged or appreciated Javed’s contribution who always gave his 100% while playing under Imran’s leadership unlike Imran who refused to play under Javed Miandad.
A man of double standards and hungry for lime light is how I describle this sorry figure.
i heard Imran Khan speaking live on TV at the meeting where he mentioned about what Condi Rice has said about Shuakat Aziz in the new book. Imran Khan in no way endorsed what Condi has said but infact asked Shaukat Aziz to protest against the adverse comments against him. Imran said that after all Shaukat Aziz is PM of Pakistan and Condi’s comments are an insult for Pakistani nation and the PM should protest. I am appalled by the misleading title ‘Imran Khan endorses…’, while actually Imran has spoekn in defense of the PM and more importantly in defense of the Pakistani nation. Please correct your facts.
Dr. Bashir,
While I appreciate your comment, I am sad to report that the FACTS that I have stated are correct and, based on your comment, further prove the Imran Khan is a hack politician.
You may have seen him on TV addressing a public meeting in support of the PM, whereas on Friday afternoon, Imran Khan, while giving and interview to Ayesha Tammy Haq on Business Plus, categorically said that he fully endorsed Condi’s comments about Shaukat Aziz and found it funny (can’t remember the exact word he used) that she reduced him to a “blubbering” idiot after he tried to flirt with her.
While I apologize that I can’t change the facts about Imran Khan, it would be best for you to understand that Imran Khan changes position as fast as the wind changes direction. The show was Friday evening, where he endorsed the comments, and you say he address a meeting on TV, where he changed his position.
I feel sorry for anyone who support Imran Khan or his “political party,” because they will never know whether Imran is being sincere or not.
He’s a HUDOOD AGGRESSOR ! Hudood Laws are set by Allah
for the Believers in Quran.
We cannot dismiss these seriuos aggressions by simply saying that it’s Imran’s personal life. or else every aggressor of Quran will deem it his personal right.
According to Hadiths:
A person can be forgiven by Allah
, but he cannot do the following any more:
1- He cannot lead the prayers as a Imam.
2- He cannot give evidence in courts requiring truthful evidence; becasue the character of the person will always be considered as tainted and doubtful.
3- He cannot lead a Muslim Ummah or Country. The ummah needs clean personalities to lead them.
SO a confirmed Playboy and father to illegitimate child; does not fit in a Muslim country!
Ms Rice has not singled out any other person in Pakistan i.e. the foriegn minister or the President or any other man that she has met in Pakistan. And, needless to say she has met many. So, if she makes a specific statement about Shaukat Aziz, there has to be a reason for that. Imran Khan is justified that as PM you carry the honour of your country. The issue is not whether he is a good economist or not. The question is whether he is “flirty” or not. Which may be acceptable to some and may not be to others. Shaukat Aziz, in all circumstances lacks honour, diginity and certainly courage. He has no qualms about lying and living in a fools paradise.
Khalid,
I have enjoyed some of your other posts especially the one that traces the antecedents of the current political crisis in Pakistan, I really enjoyed your analysis of the doctrine of necessity and how it set a precedence in Pakistan that we are yet to get rid of it.
While I have enjoyed some of your other posts, especially the one that traces the antecedents of the current political crisis in Pakistan. I am a bit disappointed by this one. You have launched a fierce attack on Imran Khan’s personal life and character. Imran himself has admitted several times that he had done things in the past that he is not proud of and that he had gone through a transformation. You may shrug it off as self-serving hypocrisy but I choose not to. It is not so improbable for people to go through such transformations, I certainly went through more than one, Jinnah, Gandhi all of them did in their life times. He may be lying but I am willing to give him benefit of the doubt. It seems you have already made up your mind.
Khurram,
Actually, I had high hopes for Imran Khan, as the political landscape of the country was starting to clear up and he would have had a great opportunity to lead Pakistan. But what I have seen of Imran Khan in the past few months has turned me completely against him. Imran was offered the Prime Ministership (he refused), he was offered Chairman of the PCB (he refused), and he was asked to coach the national team (he refused). When someone has all the criticisms for Pakistan and its institutions, but no time to do anything to fix them, he should be sidelined.
Lastly, while I have no comment about his tirades against MQM, I also have no respect for a “politician” that feels justified in supporting a foreign diplomat’s assessment of our SITTING Prime Minister. I may not like some of the things going on in Pakistan, but I would never stand by someone who has insulted my country and its leadership, which Imran happily did. We have enough Bhuttos and Sharifs in our national politics to carry on the mud-slinging craze that domestic politicians have counted on for 60 years, we don’t need this political neo-phyte trying to become the same.
I try not to make judgments on people unless they fully deserve them. With this post, I basically laid out the “history” of Imran Khan, so that his support of the comments of Condi Rice could be seen in the context of his past life. And as far as Imran Khan changing, I think with a little research, you would find that he is still Imran Khan.
Its great that Imran has done things he isn’t proud of, and wonderful that while we are willing to overlook the past of the Imrans, the Benazirs and the Nawaz’s, we aren’t willing to do that for MQM.
The thing is, if we believe that the MQM, once a terrorist party, will never change, we have to believe that for every other politician in this country, including Imran Khan. While everyone continues to remember and protest Imran’s playboy years, noone remembers his tutelage under Hamid Gul, or his strict stance when he first came into power, endorsing the philosophies of the Taliban, particularly in regards to women (In an article he wrote for Dawn, he believes firmly that the woman’s place was inside four walls, barefoot and pregnant). When he continued to fail as a politician, he learned to hide his true feelings, we no longer hear him demanding that corrupt politicians be hanged.
His little affair with Sita White is beside the point. His friendship with Hamid Gul, with the current religious parties and with Naseerullah Babar, however, makes him a piece of garbage.
Most of Pakistan’s blogging community are well-off, upper middle class people. None of them had sons and brothers named “Fahim” who were ‘accidentally’ picked up by Babar’s rangers during the worst years of Operation Clean-Up. None of the comments posted here are from people whose lives were destroyed because they ‘may’ have been associated with the MQM in the nineties - its all well and good to be happy that the MQM’s terrorist tendencies were curbed. But the terror inflicted by the State, Benazir, and her pet poodle, Babar, was directed towards middle class citizens, and was just as, if not worse, than anything the MQM did.
I’ve begun to realize that the media wants Pakistan to be a country for the rich only. It seems you only deserve a second chance if you are either monied, or one of the landed gentry.
Imran is a clown, starved for the pwer and fame. He behaves like a God, the worse dictator in Pakistani Cricket. I totally agree, about his dual persnality. My suggestion to the whole forum is” please try to do something individually for the country. We are seeing him on media all the time, because he is making the most of the riped catastrophy of Karachi event. Well, my suspicion is, our Punjab province don’t get influenced by this incidence and start supporting Imran blindly. There is definitely a lot of resentment against MQM in the country. But, it doesn’t mean, that a playboy like Imran should enjoy and build his popularity on martyrs of the event.
well i must say imran khan is the best hope for pakistan after ma jinnah and this is fact he is a true pakistani nationalist.
Wow, some people are really in the dark about Imran Khan. I personally don’t have ANY faith in any of the “politicians” that exist/operate in Pakistan because none of them know what democracy is, nor how to bring it about. All of them scream for democracy up to and through the election season, but after the election, they return to what they know best: abusing Pakistan.
When you post a comment like this, please compare the politician that you support with a politician from an established democracy: do they boycott the parliament they were elected to? Do they regularly abuse the sitting government while doing nothing to change the status quo? Do they incite protest rallies and civil disobedience to achieve their political ends? Now, ask yourself, how many members of the British, US, French, Australian (or any other developed democracy) parliament/congressmen/senators do these things? If you don’t find anyone in the developed world that behaves like this… then the politicians in Pakistan need to change.
This is the same Imran Khan that said that he would hang any politician that had committed corruption if ever elected Prime Minister, who now sits with Nawaz Sharif, who has stolen billions of dollars from Pakistan, and says he is the only hope for a democratic Pakistan…. power corrupts.
I could not agree with Khalid any more. Imran is the biggest idiot in pakistani politics. He has proved himself only to be the Prime Minister of press conferences. U never see him leading any protests against the government. U will only find him on Hamid Mir’s Capital Talk or Kashif Abbasi’s Off the Record talking like a big shot while sitting on his adulterous ass. Leaders aren’t made that way, they have to sacrifice and set an example for themselves so that people follow them. However, when the moment comes for sacrifice, Imran simply disappears. Where was he on september 10? Didn’t he say he would recieve nawaz leading a rally of 50,000 supporters? He was in duabi collecting money fo his hospital as shown on Geo Tv. Where was he on sept. 29 when journalists and lawyers were being beaten? After all he & Qazi had told the nation to come out on that day. He is just sissy boy who can show his manliness only in terms of making daughters of rich white men pregnant. He is an opportunist in politics & with women.
Also the latest action of Imran, showing what kind of immature sick man he is is that he has refused to offer condolences to Benazir Bhutto on Oct.18 assasination attempt. Any decent and civilized person would have offered condolences since this type of occasion is the occasion to forget personal differences. Yet he has clearly said that he refuses and benazir is responsible for the deaths, not the terrorists. Why, bcz benazir is more popular than u? What a cry baby. It clearly shows his stone age mentality.
I have read almost all the blogs I amm of th eopinion that all the opinions are of extreme narrations. It reminds me of a statement of an old friend of mine.He was Major in Pakistan army. I am talking of 1969.One day our political scenario was being discussed. he uttered a historical statement which I stil tell him and I do enjoy myself while quoting to others. He said “We(Pakistanis) need a man (ruler), with a rod in his hand but suncere to the nation”. Unfiortunately many people came with rod in their hands but unfrtunately nobody came with the zeal of being sincere to the nation. “Deals” are bing done for “Abslotely Pure Personal” gains/interests by the so called “Daughter of the East” and the “Wardi Chacha” just ******g the nation and the country’s interests.”Chacha Wardi” needs power and “Daughter of the East ” needs her +2 billion dollars released. SO its the binding of their “OWN” necessities. We are still soooooooooooooo fool that we dont understand and we still follow our “Butchers” and are paving the way for their return! What an irony!
These corrupt families have squeezed our blood for so long but still they feel thirsty!!!!!!!
I remember the high headedness of Mians and Bhuttos.Their “Unnnhhhhhhhsssss”.Their love to get others killed and save their own relations!!!Vow!What a sincerity!”Bori Bund Lashain(corpses) were “distributed” to convey their secret messages to the other factions!”Bhatta” and “Bank Robberies” were legitimate to “Raise” funds!!!!!!People opt for sooo called exiles and enjoy the luxuriess of life by spending millions of dollars from the hard earned donations of common people!WHo is Rehman Malik! A government servant of Police Service. Can some body ask that what were his assets when he joined the govt. service and how many billions are his assets today? How he was able to “Raise” this money like other DG FIA, Maj. (R) MUshtaq. How their is mention of bureaucratic cadre ppl in the sooooo called NRO(National Reconciliation Ordinance)!!!!!!!It should have been National Rattler Ordinance i nstead! In which the nation and country are used as a rattler to befool the all-time-befooled-nation like a street-monkey-man!!
Have we lost our senses? We are running after the precisely-tested guys so that they are able to compensate for the lsot time!! It is their greatness that when they are not in power then they proceed on self-styled-exile(vacations) because they can not afford the heat of Pakistan and also they can not afford to drink the water from Pakistan, absolutely in line with the fashion of their ancestors!!!!!
For God’s sake just open your eyes and vote for the right ppl or at least try to vote for the right ppl so that we can just relax as a nation.
How can we prosper by importing ppl of “Dual” nationalities and self-exiled leaders, having their assets in the countries excepth the country they are keen to rule!!!!! They absultelt dont trust the country which they want to “Master”.
Jaago Dosto.
Tell them, “Jaag Utha Hai Pakistan”.Khuda Kay Liyay Jaag Jao Warna Yeh Kameenay Phir Aa Rahay Hain Tumhain Khanay Lay liyay.
Rana.03rd of November 2007
We should not be biased while talking about a personality. Imran Khan never claimed to be an angel. But his actions testifies that he is sincere to this poor nation. We do not need evil genious like BB, Mush but we need a sincere leader who may make mistakes but still patriot to the country.
@ Waheed: Could u tell us what actions of Imran Khan show that he is sincere to the nation? Criticiing the west on talk shows and than marrying rich white girls for money is not sincerity. Telling the people to come out in the streets while hiding urself in some cave like osama is not sincerity.
@Rana: Plz spare us ur army stories. If benazir is the problem of pakistan, than benazir wasn’t in pakistan for the past 9 years. Why hasn’t pakistan improved? Instead we had ur imran khan, but what did he do in the past 9 years for democracy in pakistan? Just sit on Capital Talk and talk like sher afghan taht’ it.
In reply to Waheed: When you dont mention Nawaz Sharif, we can safely assume that you are not counting him in your list of evil genius. I feel sorry for people like you who don’t even know the right from the wrong. That SOB robbed all the money from the country’s vault and is now living a lavish life in the palace of arabia.
As to the issue of Imran Khan, well he is an immoral man(period). His only claim to fame was defaming a popular party’s leader. Apart from that most of the support and soft corner he is getting is from the defunct PML (N) which is supporting him because he has the same agenda as of Nawaz Sharif.
Its time for all of us to remove our personal biases and filters and assess people in the light of the truth of who they really are.
All those who are trying to protect Imran Khan should know that a person who spends more of his time {EDITED TO REMOVE PROFANITY} than discussing political matters is not the messiah you naive people are looking for.
It surprises me that out of this whole wide world, he cannot find a single muslim girl to marry? Was it so hard?
It is so obvious that Jemima was a way to secure funds from his jewish billionaire father-in-law (James Goldsmith) in order to build his hospital and to launch his political career.
Imran is immature and cranky. one day he is all praise to the general and leads his referendum campaign next day on not being given tickets as per his demand he becomes the general’s main haters he calls NZ and BB the most corrupt and later joins them at London. He had always hated Qazi and now he is sitting in his lap. He always spoke against the judges and made it his manifesto to replace the corrupt judges if he came to power. Now he wants to champion the cause of the same corrupt judges.How can we have such an unstable man as our leader.
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