Imran Khan and New Pakistan
Inspirational man
What do you know about Pakistan? If you google it, this is what comes up: ‘Pakistan is the fifth-most populous country with a population exceeding 212,742,631 people. In area, it is the 33rd-largest country, spanning 881,913 square kilometres.’ Pretty big compared to where I am from — Lithuania. However, I am not doing a comparison!
What do I know about Pakistan? Little to nothing. Shame on me. I married a man whose parents are from Pakistan. My journey of learning about Pakistan began. First, I met the parents and I met nothing but love. Second, the food is something out of this world. It feels like I am eating colours of life and every shade of love in one mouthful. Third, the cricket and Imran Khan.
My husband passionately explained to me how important the game of cricket is and what Imran Khan did. How he took Pakistan’s cricket team to win the world cup. How he found the players on their merit not because they knew somebody. How he motivated the team by telling them “we are the tigers and let’s enjoy the game”.
After an amazing achievements of cricket Imran Khan could do whatever he wanted to do in his career. He was offered to work in a government but he refused on the grounds that’s not how one runs a country. Imran Khan decided to run his own party. And he was ridiculed. After a number of years of working hard, being shot, chased by the police, death threats, he won 2018 elections to lead his country. His ex-wife Jemima Goldsmith tweeted:
“22 years later, after humiliations, hurdles and sacrifices, my sons’ father is Pakistan’s next PM. It’s an incredible lesson in tenacity, belief & refusal to accept defeat. The challenge now is to remember why he entered the politics in the 1st place. Congratulations”
I saw some of Imran Khan’s speech after he is elected. Wow what a speech it was! I am not a very political person nor do I know a lot about politics. However, I have seen a few elected presidents, PM’s speeches and no-one has ever managed to move me in a way Imran Khan’s speech did. Politics could never move me but this man’s speech did. Why?
Most elected people in the office carry some kind of air about them that makes them godly. However, Imran Khan didn’t have that. He was human. He wasn’t wearing elaborate clothing either. He wasn’t full of himself. He was humble which is a rare sight.
Most elected people change their lifestyles and start living in palaces. He said that existing government palaces are going to be for schools, education and public. He wants to create a University for people who cannot afford education.
He went through every point he aims to achieve while he is in the office. First, he wants to fix poverty in Pakistan like China did, fix corruption, have friendly relationships with the whole world. What struck me the most was he wants peace and goodness in the world and he is willing to open talks and find solutions to fit all the parties involved.
It does sound idealistic but I need hope after what’s happening in the West Brexit and Trump! Imran Khan wants to help people to prosper and shine. He wants to create opportunities for the minorities. He wants to help the minorities no matter religion or their background. Not very often I hear a politician want to help the minorities. He is so people focused that it is truly touching and inspiring. A quote from Utopia by Thomas More is a reflection of that:
“Why do you suppose they made you king in the first place?’ I ask him. ‘Not for your benefit, but for theirs. They meant you to devote your energies to making their lives more comfortable, and protecting them from injustice. So your job is to see that they’re all right, not that you are — just as a shepherd’s job, strictly speaking, is to feed his sheep, not himself.”
Imran Khan really believes in making his country better for the people of Pakistan. He wants people to thrive. I felt that in his speech. I don’t even speak Urdu. Whatever the topic he wants to make peace, create education, opportunities, build hospitals available for all and give back to the country not out of the country.
What an inspirational man and what a story. I am reading a book about Imran Khan now and I am glued to it. What a story what a man and I cannot wait to see the future he will bring to Pakistan.
