IT has been two decades. So much and so little has changed during this time. The Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) has grown into a big party but some of Imran Khan’s well-wishers have remained just that — well-wishers. They have been unable to cross the barrier and enter the next stage of their relationship.

Despite all the persuasion, they have been unable to turn into Imran Khan’s political followers. They might have occasionally found reason to ally themselves with the PTI leader over one cause or another but the title of supporter over a sustained period of time has eluded them over these past 20 years.

On April 25, 1996, a group of somewhat privileged young journalists packed themselves inside a small car and drove down to a not so plush hotel. They were excited if not politically inclined towards Imran Khan, their cricketing hero who was about to launch the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf.

The PTI chief’s cause has been helped immensely by the ability of the people to adapt to his kind of politics.

Khan had already shown his resolve to get things off the field by working at a fast pace to set up his cancer hospital. He had mellowed down considerably in comparison to his playing days when he was frequently found imperiously shrugging off all suggestions about interaction with the motley crew.

The hall on that April day was full. It is difficult to recall who stood by the commanding PTI chief on the stage then since his own presence was so overwhelming. Generally, he was in control of his emotions and avoided confrontation with the crowd in front of him. But I remember he lost his poise and allowed the old Imran Khan to come to the fore when an old hand at politics tried to lecture him on the merits of democracy.

“The way you propose to go the people are not going to vote for you,” the loud guy in the crowd spoke out, as if trying to steal some of the limelight reserved for the PTI chief. Imran was not about to take the remark lying down, certainly not on this auspicious occasion. “Aap na dein vote mujhay. Bilkul na dein [please don’t vote for me],” he retorted angrily from the stage.

It was not enough compensation that Imran Khan’s snub was directed at a leftist known to pounce upon half an opportunity to forcefully silence dissent or plain diverse opinion. To some of those standing in a dim corner right at the back of the hall, it was clear whose voice the new party was prepared to listen to and whose noise it was ready to drown in its own rhetoric.

Much of that first impression has stayed of the PTI. It is an unabashed, actually proud, right-wing party of the young whose leader says all the right things about those who have been in power. He has the habit of hitting the nail on the head as he points to scandal upon scandal that have eaten deep into the body of this country. He talks about self-esteem, and about what actions the rulers cannot take against their own people — like using the drones for example.

Yet there is the second half of the man which relates to his own capacity to deliver and not be too drawn towards pandering to the retrogressive elements he is often ideologically associated with. Twenty years down the line he is not someone an old leftist would want to sound out for promise. He is apparently a willing prisoner of the two halves.

The PTI chief’s cause has been helped immensely by the ability of the people to adapt to his kind of politics. Whereas Imran Khan has steadfastly defied change in his outlook, sections of the people have made the necessary adjustments to adopt him as their leader. These people have no alternative. The crowd may not include some of the well-wishers who were never destined to be his followers or his constant supporters but that is a bargain that Imran Khan has struck knowingly and he appears all the happier for it.

Imran Khan makes all the right choices. He wants a probe of the Panama affair and is quick to welcome the army chief’s call for accountability of all. He is usually right about the cases of corruption that he targets from time to time. He has been consistently criticising the old brand of politicians, the likes of which are allegedly found in the PPP and PML-N bar a few reformed ones that have been accepted in the PTI’s fold.

Imran believes that a change in faces is essential. And after all these years he has relaxed sufficiently so that he can now occasionally mock and mimic a rival politician without any fear of anyone from among his camp raising any gender-based objections.

All these positions, actions and antics endear the leader to millions of his supporters. But there are issues still. As part of the second half of his package, what does he propose and to whom? This is critical. Let us, for the umpteenth time, recall that Imran Khan got his appeal not from challenging the poor Benazirs and Zardaris of this world. He rose high and fast after he decided to challenge the Sharifs of Lahore; before that, he was considered more an appendage or an extension of them.

The simple question that needs to be asked is whether, after making all the right noises about them ie the politicians, what does he offer us the people? The promise has to be big enough to win over the majority. It has to be big enough to bring him back the people who everyone believes have since been wooed by the PML-N with its ability to execute the tasks in the second half well. That’s the decisive half even if Imran Khan continues to win the first one.

The writer is Dawn’s resident editor in Lahore.

Published in Dawn, April 22nd, 2016