The Malala Project We are all accustomed to tall claims by political leaders backed with little action. When one politician accuses the other of serious personal or public misdemeanor, threats and legal notices are served ‘On Air’ which soon dissipate in ‘Thin Air.’ If only we had effective libel laws and courts, billions of Rupees would have exchanged hands turning libel suits into an industry. Even by our standards of hollow political rhetoric that includes threatening civil disobedience, long marches, movements against electoral fraud, the latest political theatrics by the Zardari scion takes the cake. The image of a young man throwing his tender hands ridiculing others with some staunch senior PPP leaders cheerleading was a sight to watch and despair. Only in a banana republic depicted in a cheap ‘B’ class movie does one see similar antics. The initial PTI reaction to the speech was equally cheap and without political punch. While the PPP survives on the Bhutto legacy, the PML(N) is in the advanced stages of grooming its brand of political heirs. Instead of setting new trends, if the PTI persists to emulate its infamous political predecessors, don’t be surprised to see the political launch of ‘Suleiman the Magnificent’ after burying its claims of ending ‘moorasee siasayat’ in the award of party tickets. The ‘Malala Project’ predicted with political friends almost a year back is well and truly underway. Whatever her detractors may have to say about her foreign patrons and despite the tutoring, for a sixteen year old to speak with such clarity in front of large thinking audiences is impressive. She has already acquired a ‘celebrity’ profile with people queuing up for photographs and autographs. Our (IK & I) strategy to focus on the Frontier Province as the launching pad for PTI’s revival almost 4 years back paid rich electoral dividends but remained half cooked without the critical ingredient of selecting the right team capable of delivering in KPK. True to their tradition, the KPK constituents would not wait for long before looking for a new option if the PTI KPK government continues to rely on hollow rhetoric instead of delivering. Most, particularly in KPK, question the credentials of the ‘Malala Project.’ The same was true about Imran Khan with the ‘Jewish lobby’ stigma attached in his early political years and the almost incessant ridicule that we had to endure including by some who now control PTI. All that changed because of the intense need of society for real change and the PTI perception created through years of sustained efforts by a few. It took the Charismatic Bhutto three years to organize a political party at grassroots and package it in an era without modern communications to sweep elections in West Pakistan in 1970. It should never have taken the PTI fifteen years to come of age but for the repeated political bloopers by a leader whose penchant not to listen to reason and learn when the time is right equals his never say die trait. The political beheading of PTI could start with the decoupling of the youth from it which should not take long, particularly in KPK, if a new option is packaged properly. The list of the more recent political blunders is long that have raised questions on IK’s intent to seriously change the status quo. For example; (1) no visible momentum of real change in KPK, (2) stubbornly patronizing the corrupt in the party by stonewalling internal transparency and accountability, (3) dithering on setting examples despite serious allegations of corruption against some PTI ministers, (4) maintaining the legacy of patronizing parliamentarians to keep them in good humor, as an example secretly sanctioning Rs. 10.0 million to each MPA, and (5) placing politicians that epitomize the status quo in the top PTI hierarchy. After allowing them a near free reign, the recent decision of the PTI Core Committee to nationalize the ISF has further widened the gulf between the PTI youth and its leadership. The growing frustration of the PTI youth has already led to discreet moves to organize a pressure group leading possibly to a new political party. In a country where political drama never ends, it would be fascinating to watch how the ‘Malala Project’ unveils itself in terms of the strategy employed to politically ground it in a society that is once again in the early stages of looking for fresh ideas. There is little doubt that after a few years of further grooming, Malala should be ready for launch. She could either piggy back an existing political party to revive its fortunes or form a new youth based political party with a modern and progressive change agenda. Targeting the present decadent and decaying political system that is structured to maintain the of status quo with credible ideas of structural changes, not a difficult proposition to package considering the wealth of trained and astute political brains chaperoning her from one corridor of power to another, she could be the next inspirational face of change to create political ripples that strike the right chord at different levels. In a country whose economy sustains on imported ‘Havala Change,’ in the years to come its politics may be ripe for some ‘Malala Change.’
Posted on: Sun, 20 Oct 2013 11:57:01 +0000
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