[Elections 2013] Why I support PTI?

Since October 2011, after the historic Lahore jalsa, PTI has become a force to reckon with in the Colosseum of Pakistani politics. Some people say that it's popularity is hugely owed to the charismatic personality of its leader, Imran Khan; and that it doesn't possess enough quality candidates to win seats during elections. Others say it is just a pawn of the establishment - created to tip the voting scales. Still others maintain that as seen in the past, PTI is big on jalsas and zero on electoral performance. I say PTI is for real. I say this isn't the PTI of the past that fed on the fame of its leader but the PTI of the present that is fueled by the fervor of the young, the fervor of people like me who have had enough with status-quo parties that have leeched the very blood out of our nation.

It was rain against IK today and rain was loosing.

People still ask me, including my own father who is a long time PML-N supporter, that why do you support something that was never meant to succeed. Something that is full of empty promises with no capacity to deliver. I will be honest; I was tempted by these insinuations but I stood determined. I looked at the landmark jalsas of the party and I knew I wasn't alone. I wasn't alone in this fight against corruption, against feudalism, against slavery and against the plundering of my nation's wealth.

My belief in PTI was reaffirmed after languishing for a bit, when I saw Imran Khan today in another superlative jalsa at Manto Park, Lahore. Where under the shadow of Minar-e-Pakistan, amidst torrential showers and strong gusts of wind he remained steadfast. He didn't run off and hide in a container. He didn't stand under the shelter of an umbrella. He didn't duck behind the security of a sheet of bullet-proof glass. He didn't flinch. This episode metaphorically narrates the journey of PTI. People told IK that politics isn't a game of cricket, his party could never succeed in it but IK knew that success was around the corner, so he persevered, weathered hardships and slip-ups and carried on. His unwavering spirit was rewarded when PTI became one of the most popular political party in the country and in this journey he showed this nation what the definition of a true leader is.

Now I come to the crux of this article: why I support PTI?

• I support PTI because it is the only mainstream party in the nation that is against the archaic concepts of status-quo and family politics. These two things have eaten away at the political setup of Pakistan. The right people have never been given the chance to run the nation but rather ignorant, dynastic politics has flourished.
• It is the only political party that has held intra-party elections from ground zero right up to the pinnacle. And in doing so it has set a precedent that has been unheard of in the history of Pakistani politics. Widows, teachers, tailors, shopkeepers and wood-loggers swept away important post and PTI became the party-of-the-people in the true sense of the word. Through this PTI has also purged itself of lottas and opportunists like Sikander Boson, Jamal Leghari etc.
• I support PTI because it took the initiative of declaring the assets of all of its top brass. Effectively, telling people that the members of PTI have no reason to be secretive because they are not looters or plunderers.
• I support PTI because I am attracted to its manifesto. The party's educational, health, energy, environmental and economic policies are beyond reproach and designed by some of the finest minds in the nation. I believe if PTI implements its policies in the true sense of the word then the Naya Pakistan it so talks about isn't that far off.
• I support PTI because it shifted the focus to the people. While other political parties are involved in their own cat-fighting and mud-slinging. PTI took up the crusade for the rights of a common-man. In doing so, it has made an ordinary citizen more perceptive of the political scenario of the country and hopefully more circumspect in using his/her vote.

If jalsa strength is anything to go by then PTI has already won the general elections.

The above-mentioned points are the main reasons of my support for PTI. PTI has called out to the youth of Pakistan and the genie is now out of the bottle. I hope this genie grants PTI the government because it has got every capacity to do so. Additionally, to all those who think PTI's slogan of change is an illusion, I say we shall see because once the ravaged youth of this country have stood up there is no stopping them. The tsunami is coming to take with it the rotten, narcissistic scoundrels that call themselves legislators and the old, shitty system. Hopefully, a new sun will rise on May 12th. A sun that will not scorch the nation but bring with itself rays of blissful sunshine and the message of hope.

Tweet