And Pakistan dares to hope!

I have been slowly driven to write this post, impressed by the sweeping tide of patriotism around me. It came gradually but now it is in full swing, this sense of Pakistan being on the verge of change and the hope it brings. Every where I look, every one I know, irrespective of where they are, are infused with an energy that is intoxicating to say the least. Pakistan has finally dared to hope and the reason is Imran Khan.

It is hard not to be impressed by Imran Khan. The guy is absolutely indefatigable, courageous and persistent in the pursuit of victory. It takes guts to challenge the status quo in Pakistan and he has done it. Everyone told him he was a political outsider and Pakistani politics is not a game of cricket. People laughed at him and he took it all, sacrificed his marriage for the sake of his cause and came all this way to become a serious game changer in Pakistan. One can have problems with some of his ideology or plans but it is impossible not to admire him. He simply refused to admit defeat and gave his all to one cause. It is a great example of single-mindedness and purpose. Some people always remain in the spotlight, for good or bad reasons. It seems to be Imran's destiny to always be a hero. He is an achiever, he is lucky and that's part of his appeal to the people of Pakistan.

However, his hero status is not the reason of my writing this post. I write this as I am simply thrilled to see Pakistan changing in front of my eyes. It is not a concrete change in the system; it's the change in the people that is so inspiring. We, the people of Pakistan, who had lost all hope of ever putting things to right, have finally woken up and are advocating for change, a "Naya Pakistan". It is astonishing how people from all sections of society believe in Imran's message of hope. I do not know why it resonates with so many people; may be this was what we all secretly wanted but knew would never happen; may be there is a romantic in all of us; may be it is his philanthropy and honesty that draws us. It is impossible to lay a finger on what is the exact reason of why people believe in Imran Khan. We just do. For my part, I think he is honest and has good intentions but for me his biggest achievement is something else. He forced us to wake up from slumber and claim a stake in Pakistan. I am moved by his love for his country and by the change he has inspired in people. Pakistan will never be the same again.

I do not want to sound idealistic and I am not. Nothing's going to change overnight but one irrevocable change has already happened. We, the people of Pakistan, want to vote. We think change can come through the ballot and we are willing to bring about that change. It does not matter now if Imran Khan becomes PM this time or not. He is already a winner. He may be naive, a novice to the art of politics but I do not doubt his intentions. He has infused Pakistan with hope and something to look forward to.I can feel the pulsating rhythm and be proud to witness that finally, we own our land, our problems and want to fix them. Imran Khan, you may win or lose the election but you have definitely won our hearts. May Allah bless you

Faroha Liaqat
http://abvoiceforislam.blogspot.com