The Hobsons Choices
There are few instances in political history that a party at its populist peak was commandeered by none other than the captain himself into the hands of pirates. One of the fundamental political flaws that made Bhutto vulnerable and to his ultimate fate was his arrogance and vindictive nature. Most contemporary politicians, even those publicly advocating against it have been victims of sycophancy because of their inflated egos and arrogance. Bhuttos demise started when he allowed genuine political workers of the original PPP team such as, Mairaj Mohammad Khan, J.A. Rahim, Rasul Buksh Talpur, and Mian Mahmud Kasuri to part ways. Some of them were even tortured for standing up to Bhuttos dictatorial ways.
Arrogance, when it engulfs a persons mindset is a killer trait even though some may try to hide it with casual mannerism by wearing informal dress and eating at roadside chabras while travelling. Such was the arrogance of Bhutto that during a cabinet meeting he turned around when addressed as Zulfi by a senior colleague and responded with words to the effect that just because I sleep with your wife does not give you the right to address me as Zulfi. Imran Khan has yet to create a shadow of Bhuttos political legacy. But such is the power of the darbari culture that at the height of PTI popularity he is reported to have told a group of KPK politicians sharing with him Bhuttos style of politics with words you are comparing me to a failed politician. Allah Amaan. Only delusion powered by a combination of popular support and sycophancy by a horde of opportunists can intoxicate a mind to such heights to label Bhutto a failed politician, someone who still commands mass following from his grave despite a generation of vultures hovering over it.
Arrogance in general and misplaced arrogance in particular can lead a person to a deadly fate. Todays Imran Khan is surrounded by a lethal combination of advisors. Most of the political kind could not care two cents if PTI ceases to exist tomorrow as long as they can have their piece of cake and now. The other type consists of old friends who have lived off Imran Khan for their entire lives. The lounge lizards, for their limited capacity and menial intent, cannot be classified as advisors despite their destructive capacity. Most of the original team of formal or informal advisors is daggers drawn, for right or wrong reasons only posterity will decide.
Political parties are not like corporate entities where relevant CVs justify placements. Some would justify the takeover of PTI by conventional politicians as the outcome of a democratic intra party process. The PTI intra party elections were as flawed, if not more, compared to the national electoral process. Without the management capacity and without enforcing basic rules to keep the party in the hands of those that could sustain its soul, the PTI plunged into the intra party process with a flawed intent to window dress the media blow back of allowing politicians of all shades into the party and suffering the consequences.
The struggle to control PTI will assume a new dimension after the present Secretary General relinquishes the post and retains the CM, KPK position. The drama of the impending change, in all likelihood, would take place during the next CEC meeting scheduled for September 21 & 22, in Islamabad. Some consider the change from the present Secretary General to the businessman cum politician as a done deal. Never mind that the electoral laws were changed overnight last March to bar him from contesting elections for the post of Secretary General on the fig leaf that the Chairman and the Secretary General cannot be from the same province. The lounge lizards and their affiliates are working overtime to undermine the selection of the done deal during the CEC meeting on the pretext that the change should only take place through elections. A compromise arrangement may be proposed to select the new Secretary General by a show of hands by CEC participants which is being stacked by lounge lizards for a favorable no outcome to the done deal. In case of a stalemate, the brother of the PML(N) brothers could be the dark horse waiting in the wings.
There are also rumors that the position of President PTI Womens wing may be up for grabs. The perception of the likely change of the Woman Guard was strengthened by the appearance of the PTI Vice Chairman along with the lawyer of the liars and the PTI lady afflicted with the technical lacuna disease. The three were knocking at the gates of the Election Commission of Pakistan to seek a cure from the contagious disease afflicting the lady. Except for the negative public perception, the technical lacuna disease is harmless to the infected person but deadly to society. It is a communicable disease that only spreads from the past to the present ruling class. The transmission routes of technical lacuna virus are varied and beyond the scope of discussion. The position of the female general secretary may also shift to an ambitious new entrant with domestic blues but with at least a couple, if not more, controlling shoulders to cry on. The weeping mother of PTI receiving step motherly treatment for some time is likely to make her case for the position of the President Womens wing during the meeting, to what effect only time would tell.
As soon as the next CEC meeting is over, some PTI parliamentarians who were queuing up for days in front of the National Assembly Speakers office for a slot in any parliamentary or official delegation would be merrily flying off to happier lands all at the cost of the hapless unhappy land.
All in all, the PTI leader is enjoying another game of roulettes for key party positions on a machine with a push button under the table. Whatever the final option, at the end of the day the fall back option of I had no option to justify making Hobsons choices is beyond any doubt.
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Akbar-S-Babar-PTI-official/180101955416268
There are few instances in political history that a party at its populist peak was commandeered by none other than the captain himself into the hands of pirates. One of the fundamental political flaws that made Bhutto vulnerable and to his ultimate fate was his arrogance and vindictive nature. Most contemporary politicians, even those publicly advocating against it have been victims of sycophancy because of their inflated egos and arrogance. Bhuttos demise started when he allowed genuine political workers of the original PPP team such as, Mairaj Mohammad Khan, J.A. Rahim, Rasul Buksh Talpur, and Mian Mahmud Kasuri to part ways. Some of them were even tortured for standing up to Bhuttos dictatorial ways.
Arrogance, when it engulfs a persons mindset is a killer trait even though some may try to hide it with casual mannerism by wearing informal dress and eating at roadside chabras while travelling. Such was the arrogance of Bhutto that during a cabinet meeting he turned around when addressed as Zulfi by a senior colleague and responded with words to the effect that just because I sleep with your wife does not give you the right to address me as Zulfi. Imran Khan has yet to create a shadow of Bhuttos political legacy. But such is the power of the darbari culture that at the height of PTI popularity he is reported to have told a group of KPK politicians sharing with him Bhuttos style of politics with words you are comparing me to a failed politician. Allah Amaan. Only delusion powered by a combination of popular support and sycophancy by a horde of opportunists can intoxicate a mind to such heights to label Bhutto a failed politician, someone who still commands mass following from his grave despite a generation of vultures hovering over it.
Arrogance in general and misplaced arrogance in particular can lead a person to a deadly fate. Todays Imran Khan is surrounded by a lethal combination of advisors. Most of the political kind could not care two cents if PTI ceases to exist tomorrow as long as they can have their piece of cake and now. The other type consists of old friends who have lived off Imran Khan for their entire lives. The lounge lizards, for their limited capacity and menial intent, cannot be classified as advisors despite their destructive capacity. Most of the original team of formal or informal advisors is daggers drawn, for right or wrong reasons only posterity will decide.
Political parties are not like corporate entities where relevant CVs justify placements. Some would justify the takeover of PTI by conventional politicians as the outcome of a democratic intra party process. The PTI intra party elections were as flawed, if not more, compared to the national electoral process. Without the management capacity and without enforcing basic rules to keep the party in the hands of those that could sustain its soul, the PTI plunged into the intra party process with a flawed intent to window dress the media blow back of allowing politicians of all shades into the party and suffering the consequences.
The struggle to control PTI will assume a new dimension after the present Secretary General relinquishes the post and retains the CM, KPK position. The drama of the impending change, in all likelihood, would take place during the next CEC meeting scheduled for September 21 & 22, in Islamabad. Some consider the change from the present Secretary General to the businessman cum politician as a done deal. Never mind that the electoral laws were changed overnight last March to bar him from contesting elections for the post of Secretary General on the fig leaf that the Chairman and the Secretary General cannot be from the same province. The lounge lizards and their affiliates are working overtime to undermine the selection of the done deal during the CEC meeting on the pretext that the change should only take place through elections. A compromise arrangement may be proposed to select the new Secretary General by a show of hands by CEC participants which is being stacked by lounge lizards for a favorable no outcome to the done deal. In case of a stalemate, the brother of the PML(N) brothers could be the dark horse waiting in the wings.
There are also rumors that the position of President PTI Womens wing may be up for grabs. The perception of the likely change of the Woman Guard was strengthened by the appearance of the PTI Vice Chairman along with the lawyer of the liars and the PTI lady afflicted with the technical lacuna disease. The three were knocking at the gates of the Election Commission of Pakistan to seek a cure from the contagious disease afflicting the lady. Except for the negative public perception, the technical lacuna disease is harmless to the infected person but deadly to society. It is a communicable disease that only spreads from the past to the present ruling class. The transmission routes of technical lacuna virus are varied and beyond the scope of discussion. The position of the female general secretary may also shift to an ambitious new entrant with domestic blues but with at least a couple, if not more, controlling shoulders to cry on. The weeping mother of PTI receiving step motherly treatment for some time is likely to make her case for the position of the President Womens wing during the meeting, to what effect only time would tell.
As soon as the next CEC meeting is over, some PTI parliamentarians who were queuing up for days in front of the National Assembly Speakers office for a slot in any parliamentary or official delegation would be merrily flying off to happier lands all at the cost of the hapless unhappy land.
All in all, the PTI leader is enjoying another game of roulettes for key party positions on a machine with a push button under the table. Whatever the final option, at the end of the day the fall back option of I had no option to justify making Hobsons choices is beyond any doubt.
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Akbar-S-Babar-PTI-official/180101955416268
