IT was a considerable treat for the followers of politics. Imran Khan donned the mantle of the wise elder to lecture Bilawal Bhutto Zardari on how to do politics; in response, Bilawal House sent the PTI chief some urgent reminders about what is — was — a good age to retire. Age has been a problem with both the PTI and PPP. Conventional thinking casts the young as impatient. On the other hand, the hasty steps taken by Imran Khan are often explained away by referring to his lateral entry into politics. Meanwhile, the age of its leaders is a source of some extra trouble for the PPP. But just as ungentlemanly remarks about the very experienced Sindh chief minister, Qaim Ali Shah, are routine, Mr Khan and others have frequently been found impolitely trying to ridicule the young Mr Bhutto Zardari. He has been painted as a naïve, simple scion who ceremoniously flaunts the pictures of his grandfather and mother.

Let’s not dispute Mr Khan’s credentials as adviser in this case. Indeed, as an icon for Pakistan’s youth for many generations now, he could say from experience when it is apt for a young lad to be pacing himself through a renowned university or a cricket field and when exactly a man is ready, or desperate enough, to try his hand at politics in Pakistan. He can further say that the ‘uncle’ is only repeating what father Asif Zardari declared not too long ago: Bilawal Bhutto Zardari is inexperienced and not ready for politics. But as he is known to display a childlike innocence and haste in doing things, Mr Khan is, perhaps, unaware of an important piece of history: when it comes to the incentive to fight, a PPP leader can respond to a challenge thrown by an ‘uncle’ or two. As the PPP seeks to recover its old anger and vigour, it is perhaps hoping to make good use of the presence of a new acrimonious, hostile ‘uncle’ towards making possible political gains.

Published in Dawn, November 15th, 2015