Aasia bibi released, opening of Kartarpur corridor: This is how Imran Khan's Naya Pakistan looks like
Things, despite being awful, are changing in the Imran Khan-governed Pakistan.
Aasia bibi is released.
And Khadim Hussain Rizvi is arrested.
This is the Pakistan I never thought I’d see in my lifetime. This is the Pakistan of which Imran Khan is the prime minister. The politician who was labelled a fundamentalist, Khan is walking the talk. He is doing what is right, the way forward, to be the change that he promised he would be, doing his best to make Pakistan the country that is not just prosperous and peaceful but also respects the law, is fair and does not practise appeasement of extremism.
The October 31 Supreme Court verdict to release the poor Christian woman Aasia bibi, a death sentence prisoner, based on a thorough legal review of her case, unleashed a reaction that was expected yet very ugly, with all the makings of a nation-wide anarchic situation if not controlled in time. The few-day protests that erupted in many areas of Pakistan were orchestrated on the call of Khadim Hussain Rizvi, the leader of the religious organisation Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP).
In what was said to be governmental capitulation to an extremist group that threatened to hold Pakistan hostage if its demand to revoke the Aasia bibi verdict was not met, an agreement was signed between the government and Rizvi’s organisation. Protests ended but the threat of more protests loomed constant and ominous in the non-fulfilment of his demands related to Aasia bibi case: court review of the verdict and placement of Aasia bibi on the Exit Control List.
On November 23, after arrests of many members of TLP, the news of Rizvi’s arrest was made public. Pakistan, mostly, lauded the action of the Punjab police that took place on the order of the Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar. In Punjab, Khan’s party Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf is in power, and Buzdar is the little-known, unassuming and low-key PTI politician suddenly catapulted into the most important position in the biggest province of Pakistan. Buzdar with the silent yet firm crackdown on TLP showed that actions speak louder than words.
On a day that was marked by the horrific tragedy of the killing of 32 plus people in a blast in the Orakzai district, and four people, including two police officials, in a terrorist attack on the Chinese Consulate in Karachi, the news of Rizvi’s arrest came as a reminder that things despite being awful are changing in the Khan-governed Pakistan. As the nation paid tributes to the people martyred in the two attacks, there was also the non-stop appreciation of the operation in Karachi led by the very courageous ASP Suhai Aziz Talpur of the Sindh police.
Much is to be done, much is being done. That is how a country facing a huge economic crisis and many other issues must be prepared to function — steadily, without stopping. Pakistan does not have any time to waste as every day is a new challenge, and each challenge must be dealt with in the best way possible. As Pakistan mourns its martyrs and salutes its heroes, the realistic assessment of the what and why must never be lost focus of. A thorough investigation of the two terror attacks of varying intensity in two different parts of Pakistan is needed to prevent the same kind of destruction in future. The number of acts of terrorism due to the collaborative efforts of government, army, law enforcement and intelligence agencies has been substantially reduced, and whereas it can be said that terrorism cannot be completely eliminated, no effort must be spared to fight it on all levels.
Prime Minister Khan tweeted: “I am absolutely clear both these attacks are part of a planned campaign to create unrest in the country by those who do not want Pakistan to prosper. Let there be no doubt in anyone’s mind that we will crush the terrorists, whatever it takes.”
I am absolutely clear both these attacks are part of a planned campaign to create unrest in the country by those who do not want Pakistan to prosper. Let there be no doubt in anyone's mind that we will crush the terrorists, whatever it takes. https://t.co/AhPpjsUGEq
— Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) November 23, 2018
In the backdrop of a geopolitical history that is marked with much that is negative, Pakistan takes another positive step. Khan’s government is going ahead with India’s agreement to Pakistan’s offer to open the Kartarpur corridor for the easy passage of Sikh pilgrims for the 550th birth anniversary in 2019 of the Shri Guru Nanak Devji.
Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi on behalf of Khan’s government has extended an invitation to India’s external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj, Chief Minister Amarinder Singh and Minister Navjot Singh Sidhu to attend the groundbreaking ceremony at Kartarpur on November 28. Minister Swaraj while RSVP’ing her regrets citing her earlier commitment on the day of the event accepted the invitation on India’s behalf. Mrs Harsimat Kaur Badal and former ambassador Hardeep Singh Puri will represent India.
I thank HE Makhdoom Shah Mahmood Qureshi Foreign Minister of Pakistan for inviting me to attend the groundbreaking ceremony of the Kartarpur Sahib corridor on the Pakistan side of the International boundary on 28 November 2018. /1
— Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) November 24, 2018
Since I am unable to travel to Kartarpur Sahib on the scheduled date, Government of India will be represented by my esteemed colleagues Mrs.Harsimrat Kaur Badal and Mr.H.S.Puri. /2
— Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) November 24, 2018
We hope that the Government of Pakistan will expedite construction of the corridor in order to ensure that our citizens can pay their respects at the Gurudwara Kartarpur Sahib using the corridor as soon as possible. /3
— Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) November 24, 2018
After three months of his swearing-in, amidst relentless antagonism from political parties in opposition and biased media reportage, what is clear is the agenda of Imran Khan’s government: formation of a Pakistan that is future-focused, self-reliant, progressive, peaceful, corruption-free, and fair and good to its people. There are errors, there are bad decisions, there are some inefficient people on positions of importance, and there are some slips of tongue or careless utterances. What is also there: constant and strict course correction. The government is new, it is untested, it has five years to prove itself, and it has a new test every day. What makes it different beyond that: it is Imran Khan’s government.
What makes Khan different from most previous rulers of Pakistan — civilian prime ministers and military dictators — is that despite appearing to be self-centred and a follower of me-myself-and-I school of thought, Khan is anything but that. At 66, in his first term as the prime minister of Pakistan that he owes his everything to, he is determined to make it into a country that he along with his 200 million compatriots would be proud to call their homeland.
Security of life, quality healthcare, solid education, effective law and order, a fair and impartial legal and judicial system that is for all, affordable housing for the underprivileged, employment opportunities, conducive environment for business, enhanced tourism, and mutually beneficial bilateral relations with countries in the region and outside is inclusive in Khan’s vision of a model social welfare state of 2018 based on the principles of the 7th century Medina. Some of Khan’s ideas might not be new; what is new is they will turn into reality with him as the prime minister.
There is no political dynasty that Khan has to protect or leave his chair for; there are no financial stakes in any business within and outside Pakistan; there is no unaccounted wealth spread around the world in palatial houses, unknown companies and untraceable accounts. What Khan is and what Khan has is all about Pakistan, and is in Pakistan. And that is what makes the flawed, human and very real Khan the one-of-a-kind leader. The kind of leader Pakistan needs today and tomorrow. The leader that is trusted by his own people, and is respected by people and leaders of other countries. The leader with whom the 92-year-old Malaysian First Lady has her adorable admiration moment; the very lovely Ma’am Siti Hasmah Mohamad Ali, accompanied by her husband Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad, was beaming as Khan shyly laughed and held her hand on her request.
Mrs Mahathir, Dr Siti Hasmah Mohamad Ali, has a fan girl moment. Asks the visiting @ImranKhanPTI if he can hold her hand. #Pakistan PM gracefully says: Sure pic.twitter.com/2n0QzHmBX0
— Sadiq ‘Sameer’ Bhat (@sadiquiz) November 21, 2018
Why I believe in Khan to do the right thing is based on my idealism for humanity and Pakistan, and that is what I see in Prime Minister Khan. While I, as a stay-at-home writer, am not in a material position to do much for people, Khan as the prime minister of the country is, and that is what I see him doing every day. Moved by the photo of a poor man and his three children sleeping on a road, Khan instructed the building of shelters for the homeless and the needy. On November 24, he tweeted: “I have asked CM Punjab to set up tents for people sleeping on footpaths and provide them food until the Panah Gahs (shelters) are built, as the weather is turning increasingly cold. Peshawar and Karachi spots also being located.”
Tents being setup in Lahore today as temporary Panah Gahs (shelters) for the homeless sleeping on the footpaths of the provincial capital. pic.twitter.com/psrsOnVfNG
— Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) November 24, 2018
It may be trivial for many, for me it is huge. I don’t usually see this empathy, this concern, this humanity and this pain for the poor in the words, tweets and actions of many heads of state. He who notices the pain of one family sleeping on the road is my hero. And I’m happy and grateful that he is the prime minister of the Pakistan I love and call home.
Thank you, Prime Minister, Imran Khan.