Senator Mark Hanna was known to be a very famous political campaign runner. He was once asked that what are the most important things for a successful political campaign and he replied, "There are two things that are important in politics. The first is money and I can't remember what the second one is." 

All over the world, access to resources by the political parties shape the structure of competition in the realm of democracy. In the pursuit to acquisition of resources, parties find it healthy to have a few strong bankrollers in their bag. Particularly in Pakistan, in the past 2013 elections, the Election Commission capped the party advertisement spending for the first time in order to create a level playing field for the rich and the poor candidates, but they couldn’t effectively enforce the regulation. So, the traditional political campaign approach is still, and will remain in play, until we live long enough to see the anatomy of politics being redesigned by a new order.

Imran Khan, over the past few years, has faced allegations; where politicians like Jehangir Tareen and Aleem Khan have also been termed as personal ATMs for Khan. Once, Khan held banners for the entry of young people into the party, then suddenly he realized the imperative need of political financing and started turning towards the emblematic elite of politics, creating his own customary paradox. Then again, if we pragmatically observe the system, a few obscure questions arise such as, in Pakistan; do politicians live for or from politics? Is political bankrolling a blessing or a poison for democracy? Is money ubiquitous in the political system? If we sincerely ask ourselves, is it hard enough to answer these questions, No! Not in my opinion. Money is, and will remain the primary and foremost essential of politics.

Election campaigns, meetings, gatherings, reaching out to voters, party offices, employees, legal issues, transportations, maintenance of party bureaucracies, and all other miscellaneous expenses are reasons why money is indispensable. So one thing is for sure, Khan could not have survived this harsh political battle without the banks of his political elites; however the most interesting element to explore upon is, what will Imran Khan do with them, if he succeeds in making the future federal government. Will he allow them to recover the massive amounts of capital invested in the party, or otherwise acquire a stringent approach and cut them off from the central loop? So, are these attached elite politicians living for or from politics, is a question to be answered with the passage of time.

Khan has famously been known for his abrupt and post decision reversals; currently he accuses all other political parties of being corrupt. But if he gets into the mainstream government, will he be as harsh with the few corrupt companions as he is with his adversaries? I anxiously and eagerly wait to see this, as I consider this future decision of Khan to be one of the most problematic of his life.