In the sixties (1967), Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto (ZAB) emerged as a leader of change. He launched his Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) with a new script based on social justice or “Musawat” as he termed it. All the electables were rejected by him as he declared them political dead wood, for whom there was no room in his Awami (Peoples) Pakistan. Round the same time Dr. Christian Barnard performed the first heart transplant operation in Cape Town, South Africa. He promised extended life for humanity with a change of heart. Being politically astute ZAB remarked that even Dr. Barnard could not bring the electables of the Ayub era back to life. He was a new leader with his own original road map who rejected the oldies and their outdated and failed methodology. With this approach he won big in the 1970 elections (81/138).

But then there was a change of heart, the electables with their old script succeeded in winning PPP tickets in 1977 political contest which was the first under the 1973 constitution.

It was their old script of forced electability which caused a major upheaval after the elections. Comrades advised to go for immediate re-elections but the electables wanted to save their seats at all costs. Democracy was derailed and Zia had the opportunity to destroy the country with his over eleven years of misrule. While ZAB was a leader, Zia was a tormentor who believed in the old script of status-quo.

In the nineties (April 1996) sensing need for change Imran Khan launched his party with genuine comrades of change while the electables were enjoying the perks of power. The new leader needed a new script. The comrades were tasked to prepare a road map for ‘Naya Pakistan’ Shadow cabinet and Think Tank started to work. In addition to policies a “First 100 Days Plan” was also prepared. In 2011 after two mammoth gatherings in Lahore and Karachi there was a change of heart. Leader remained but the script was substituted.

It is an interesting situation. The leader is new, credible and untainted, but who has been duped into following an old and failed script. The road maps that the oldies carry with them lead nowhere except martial law and GHQ. It is not a matter of good or bad oldies. Old has to be replaced with the new for the world to move forward. Leaders chart untested waters they cannot follow old scripts they have to come up with their own version. Like PPP, PTI was also launched as a party of change without GHQ patronage. Electables were created by the Khakis with their use and efficacy defined to suit their interests. Whereas a party of change has to move forward with a new game plan, while the electables provide detour to hijack change and in the process sink the leader. Even ZAB was cornered to take tough decisions in the end.

He refused clemency and finally walked to the gallows with his head high and legacy intact. Both ZAB and his daughter Benazir were leaders while individuals like Ayub, Zia, Nawaz and Musharraf are drifters and agents of status-quo behind which they can take refuge.

Nawaz begged for exile to save his skin in 1999, while Musharraf can report sick any time to avoid the courts. Leaders do not indulge in drama they exercise courage and face the consequences of their deeds/ misdeeds. Such individuals who are agents of status-quo leave no legacy and are quickly forgotten when they are gone.

On July 08, 2011 Kaptaan summoned the think tank members to present the First 100 Days Plan of the party to the Central Executive Committee. Feroz Khan the co-coordinator of the Karachi Think Tank came to Lahore to finalize the presentation. Next day a meeting was arranged with the Islamabad Think Tank to include their inputs. It was an all day marathon session in the basement of a hotel in Islamabad. After the session was over, there was a press conference and photo session with the Shadow Cabinet and members of the Think Tanks.

The first 100 Days Plan was Kaptaan’s and PTI’s road map to move in the direction of Naya Pakistan. it was a new script for a leader of change to follow and implement. The opening line of the document read Budaz do sub kuch (Change everything). It read that ,PTI as soon as coming into power, will take revolutionary steps to ‘provide immediate relief to the people and revive a spirit of hope in the people of Pakistan’.

Moreover, PTI is determined that with the implementation of positive steps, the confidence of the people for successfully meeting the challenges would be revived. These included a sovereign Pakistan, jihad against corruption, increase tax revenue, mobilizing overseas Pakistanis developing infra-structure of the country, devolution of powers to provinces and local bodies and education on war footings-naming a few.

This is the script for “Naya Pakistan”. Electability is an old script drafted by GHQ during the Ayub regime and is an anti-thesis of democracy.

It is the party manifesto, programme and a road map to implement it that ensures electoral victory. ZAB proved it in 1970 but lost it in 1977 elections. Kaptaan is a new leader who represents the hopes and aspirations of the young. He has to march forward with a new script which is already there painfully prepared by the think tanks. Old script and its players belong to the archives not the centre stage of politics riding on Kaptaan’s shoulders as they lack the capacity to swim on their own and are destined to drawn hopefully without the Kaptaan, his party and comrades of change. Pakistan will then emerge as a welfare state as envisioned by the founding fathers and comrades of PTI- the party of change.