"...despite his political ambitions, Imran Khan remained intellectually engaged and emotionally invested in the subcontinent's shared past" ...
".... my most memorable engagement with Imran Khan came in 2017, when I led an Indian parliamentary delegation to Islamabad for an Asian parliamentarians' conference.
Imran, then Leader of the Opposition, asked to meet me. The Pakistani government, citing security concerns, refused to let me leave my hotel. Undeterred, Imran volunteered to come to me. He arrived with half a dozen aides, and I received him formally, with my two BJP colleagues - Swapan Dasgupta and Meenakshi Lekhi - present alongside, to ward off suggestions of any impropriety on my part in holding such a meeting.," - writes Shashi Tharoor in an article.
(What is that brain-eating amoeba of Pak politics that affects everyone ? )
Tharoor in his piece in NDTV website also says :
"What followed was an hour-long conversation not about politics, but about history. Imran had just finished reading my book An Era of Darkness, and was brimming with enthusiasm for it.
He quoted passages and facts, asked probing questions, and shared his own reflections on British imperialism in undivided India.
He insisted I return to Pakistan as his guest to speak publicly on the subject. That event never materialised, but the encounter left a deep impression.
Here was a man who, despite his political ambitions, remained intellectually engaged and emotionally invested in the subcontinent's shared past.
"A Study In Contradictions
Imran's premiership, obtained through the active sponsorship of the military, was a study in contradictions. He sought peace with India but was constrained by the military's strategic calculus. He promised economic reform, but struggled with inflation and debt. He championed anti-corruption, yet faced allegations himself.
His downfall began in 2022, when his impatience with military interference led to a doomed confrontation with the Pakistani deep state, which engineered the no-confidence vote that ousted him from office.
What followed was a relentless campaign of legal cases, arrests, and isolation. By 2023, he was imprisoned, convicted in multiple cases that were widely seen as politically motivated."
"The last few years have been marked by increasing repression.
Denied access to family, subjected to harsh conditions, and cut off from his party, Imran Khan became a symbol of resistance for many Pakistanis. His sisters, who protested outside Adiala Jail, were reportedly assaulted by police - a chilling reflection of the state's determination to erase his influence.
"The rumours about his death remain unclear. Allegations of foul play abound, with some saying that he has been killed by elements within the military-intelligence apparatus. No official confirmation has been issued, but the silence itself speaks volumes.
If true, his death in custody would mark a dark chapter in Pakistan's tortured and murky political history - a reminder of the perils faced by those who challenge entrenched power."
Tharoor notes:
"Imran Khan's legacy is complex. He is a national hero, a global icon, a reformist leader, and a flawed statesman.
He inspired millions, disappointed many, and remained defiant to the end.
His life is a testament to ambition, whether sporting, personal, national, or political.
"His death, if confirmed, would be a tragedy not just for Pakistan, but for all who believe in the possibility of principled leadership in turbulent times. It echoes that of another charismatic, larger-than-life Pakistani politician who thought he could transcend the powerful military
...... but paid for his illusions with his life - Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto."
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| Benazir and her dad Zulfikar Ali Bhutto |
For me, Imran will remain the man who came to my hotel in Islamabad, not to talk politics, but to discuss history.
A man of ideas, passion, and conviction, whose dreams for his country were ultimately undone ....
... by the very forces of the deep state he sought to ride to power, then to curb, and ultimately failed to overcome.
ends
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