Book: The Political Journey of Imran Khan
Author: B J Sadiq
Publisher: Speaking Tiger
Pages: 230; Price: 499
Imran Ahmed Khan Niazi set cricketing pitches on fire with his pace bowling since he made his debut for the Pakistan at the age of 18 way back in 1971. Notably, leading Pakistan to victory at the 1992 World Cup, his country’s first and only victory since competition. On August 18, 2018, Imran Khan took the oath of office as the 22nd Prime Minister of Pakistan after his party Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) secured absolute majority in general elections.
Since Imran’s cricketing days till he took up responsibility to lead the nation, lot has happened in his personal as well as political life. B J Sadiq through The Political Journey of Imran Khan has open up a new window for all those who love as well as hate Imran, to peep into his life in a different perspective. Sadiq through calculative narration of instances in Imran’s life has penned down a well researched material for every reader, who always had hunger to know more about once upon a time ‘Playboy’ of international cricket.
In ‘The News’, a noted Pakistani columnist Ayaz Amir had once written: “Imran was a great cricketer, a great playboy and a charismatic charmer. But he does not have that political thing which sets the bellies on fire.” It could hold true from one perspective that Imran unlike his predecessors continues to have totally different image on Pakistan’s political pitch. But the author through this book also highlights Imran’s ability to take upon the opponents head on even today like he did during his cricketing days.
After parting ways with General Pervez Musharraf with whom he once shared political ideologue, Imran had said that the Generals are mentally impaired to size up the requirements of a democratic system. Often under a military controlled regime someone to make such a loaded statement one has to be really brave. Imran displayed his old time killer instinct in that too.
The book takes you through different stages of Imran’s political journey and at the same time provides with interesting nuggets on his personal front too.
We can only hope that Imran who once admitted to tampering the ball with a bottle top to give it a desired swing, does not tamper with the internal as well as external polity of Pakistan just to give his political career yet another interesting swing.
