Imran Khan

Imran Khan (5 October 1952–) was a professional cricket player before entering politics. He is 22nd and current Prime Minister of Pakistan (since 18 August 2018) and Leader of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), a political party that he created.

Khan in 2019
How the sausage is made
Politics
Theory
Practice
Philosophies
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“”Adolf Hitler and Napoleon Bonaparte would not have suffered losses in wars in Russia if they had taken U-turns. Leaders should always be ready to take U-turns according to the requirement of their duties and best interests of the nation. One who doesn’t take decisions according to the demand of the situation is not a true leader.
—Imran Khan trying to justify his broken campaign promises, November 2018[1]

His ascendancy to premiership set a record for 3rd consecutive civilian administration in the short history of Pakistan, which has been dominated by military rule.

Even though he might seem like a fresh face in Pakistani politics, his administration is filled with traditional establishment leaders.

Domestic Policy

First 100 days of premiership

Khan made a big deal out of what he'd do just within the first 100 days of him taking office.[2] Of course after becoming Prime Minister, his first 100 days were same as Nawaz Sharif's first 100 days, if not worse. [3]

Establishment Figures
“”We will run Pakistan like it has never been run before,
—Poor Khan, not knowing about his future cabinet[4]

Here are some old figures that Khan used to speak against when they were in other parties, now that they have joined PTI, their misbehaviors are now the opposition's propaganda.[5]

  1. Shah Mehmood Qureshi, as Minister for Foreign Affairs.
  2. Ijaz Ahmed Shah, as Minister for Interior. [6]
  3. Pervez Khattak, as Minister for Defence.
  4. Asad Umer, as Minister of Planning, Development, Reforms and Special Initiatives. He used to be the Finance Minister, but was fired.
  5. Omar Ayub Khan, as Energy Minister. He's Grandson of Pakistan's first dictator, General Ayub Khan.
  6. Fawad Chaudhry, as Minister for Science and Technology.
  7. Muhammad Mian Soomro, as Minister for Privatisation.

All of these have worked for either Pervez Musharraf, Asif Zardari, or Nawaz Sharif, basically these lackeys remain in power no matter who's at the top.[7]

Some of them are outright ex-military officials or their family members, which screams establishment.

Foreign Policy

Kashmir & Hypocrisy
“”And I again repeat, China has come to our help when we were right at the rock bottom. So I would not publicly talk about it,
—Imran Khan [8][9]

Khan has repeatedly called out the Indian government for their actions against Muslims in Kashmir. While this is true and should be called out, Khan does not feel the same way for Uighur Muslims in Chinese concentration camps.[10]

Kashmir is repeatedly used by subsequent governments in Pakistan to deflect from actual domestic issues.

Saudi Arabia
Khan with Muhammad Bin Salman in 2019

Saudi Arabia has always had close relationship with Pakistan. In a recent visit from Saudi Prince Mohammad bin Salman, Khan personally gave him a ride. This visit resulted in a $10 billion investments for a refinery and petrochemicals complex in Gwadar.[11]

After Khan's foreign minister gave a flaring speech against Riyadh's non-action regarding the Kashmir dispute, Saudi Arabia pulled its support.[12] Pakistan then decided to send it's leader (The Chief of Army Staff) to Saudi Arabia.[13]

Iran
PM Imran Khan in Tehran

Khan has been vocal against US sanctions on Iran since the early days of his campaign. [14][15]

He also wants to play the role of mediator between Saudi Arabia and Iran.[16]

China
“”China is developing trains which will be faster than the speed of light
—Imran Khan has high hopes [17]

In his victory speech, Khan praised China and said he would seek to further strengthen their relations, he also highlighted the importance of the CPEC (China–Pakistan Economic Corridor) projects.[18]

He formally met with President Xi Jinping in October of 2019.[19]

United States
At the White House

The United States and Pakistan have had rocky relation in the past. Imran Khan has also shown his views against foreign aid.[20]

Khan met with President Trump on 21 July 2019 in the White House. The leaders decided to "reset" their relationship with each others. Trump brought up the role of Pakistan in the Afghanistan War, and a possible peace process.

Khan in June 2020, suggested that Osama Bin Laden was a martyr.[21] One of his cabinet lackeys said that this was a "slip of tongue".[22]

India

After winning the election in 2018, the speech that Khan gave, involved improving relations with India and to establish good trade agreements.[23]

From 14 February 2019 to 22 March 2019 a number of border skirmishes occurred between the two countries. This all started when 40 security personnel died on Indian side by suicide car bombing plotted by the Pakistan-based Islamic militant group known as Jaish-e-Mohammad.File:Wikipedia's W.svg[24] On 22 March Pakistan and India jointly accepted a peace agreement.[25]

In November 2019, one great policy step taken by Khan's government was to open visa-free border crossing for the Sikh community, this is known as the Kartarpur Corridor.File:Wikipedia's W.svg[26] Indian PM Narendra Modi compared this event to the fall of Berlin Wall.[27] Khan said,

Pakistan is not only opening the border but also their hearts for the Sikh community.[28]

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf

The PTI (Pakistan Movement for Justice) was founded in 1996 by Imran Khan, who had recently retired from international cricket. Since inception, the slogan has been of forming a "New Pakistan".

Political Positions

The party's ideology can be defined as economic reform and Social conservatism. It was started on the grounds of being anti-status quo and on the promise of an Islamic welfare state.

Electoral History
ElectionVotesPercentageSeats
1997 General Election314,8201.7%0
2002 General Election242,4720.83%1
2008 General ElectionBoycotted [29]--
2013 General Election7,679,95416.92%35
2018 General Election16,903,70231.82%149

Source: ECP

2018 victory
Khan taking orders from the real boss

Imran Khan came into power after a long struggle, but this victory came at the cost of embracing certain establishment figures. Also, other popular figures like Nawaz Sharif of PML(N) were conveniently excluded by the supreme court.[30]

Broken Promises

The Government has done a complete 180° turn on numerous campaign promises. These are known as U-turns in Pakistani media.

“”The leader who does not do timely U-turns is not a real leader,
—Imran Khan, November 2018[31]
  • Khan used to say "I would rather commit suicide before approaching IMF". He reached a $6 billion bailout agreement with the IMF in 2019.[32][33]
  • During the Pakistan People's Party's (PPP) tenure (2008-2013), Khan used to call them out on financial corruption. Now he has reappointed the finance minister of that period to his current cabinet.[34]
  • Khan promised citizenship for Pakistani-born Afghanis and Bengalis, but he soon backed out of it. [35]
  • When General Pervez Musharraf was in power, Imran Khan used to call for him to resign and was against his dictatorship.[36] Now Khan's government has decided to defend Musharraf in a high-treason case.[37]
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References
  1. https://www.news18.com/news/world/grilled-on-u-turns-pakistan-pm-imran-khan-compares-himself-with-hitler-1942361.html
  2. https://www.dawn.com/news/1409003
  3. https://southasianvoices.org/imran-khan-first-100-days/
  4. https://en.dailypakistan.com.pk/26-Jul-2018/will-run-pakistan-like-never-before-imran-khan-vows-to-eradicate-corruption-and-live-a-simple-life-in-victory-speech
  5. https://www.hindustantimes.com/analysis/imran-khan-s-new-pakistan-is-full-of-the-same-old-faces/story-lvU8m5i5jvTItcEPW45zWM.html
  6. http://www.cooperativeresearch.org/entity.jsp?entity=ijaz_shah
  7. https://www.hindustantimes.com/analysis/imran-khan-s-new-pakistan-is-full-of-the-same-old-faces/story-lvU8m5i5jvTItcEPW45zWM.html
  8. https://www.businessinsider.com/imran-khan-pakistan-wont-criticize-china-on-uighurs-2020-1
  9. https://www.dawn.com/news/1506899
  10. https://www.businessinsider.com/imran-khan-pakistan-wont-criticize-china-on-uighurs-2020-1
  11. https://saudigazette.com.sa/article/559353/World/Asia/Grand-welcome-for-Saudi-Crown-Prince-in-Pakistan
  12. https://theprint.in/opinion/letter-from-pakistan/whats-pakistan-without-saudi-loan-oil-and-free-royal-jet-rides-for-imran-khan/480517/
  13. https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/08/pakistan-army-chief-visit-saudi-arabia-quest-smooth-ties-200813055310566.html
  14. https://www.france24.com/en/20200320-pakistan-pm-imran-khan-calls-for-lifting-of-iran-sanctions
  15. https://www.tehrantimes.com/news/447334/Pakistan-PM-condemns-U-S-sanctions-on-Iran
  16. https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2019/10/pakistan-imran-khan-tehran-facilitate-iran-saudi-talks-191013144217969.html
  17. https://www.reddit.com/r/pakistan/comments/9zomu5/china_is_developing_trains_which_will_be_faster/
  18. https://thediplomat.com/2018/08/where-do-china-pakistan-ties-go-in-the-age-of-imran-khan/
  19. https://foreignpolicy.com/2019/10/08/one-belt-one-south-asia-xi-jinping-china-pakistan-india-nepal-belt-and-road-cpec-kashmir-imran-khan/
  20. https://www.globalvillagespace.com/imran-khan-in-us-foreign-aid-is-a-curse-on-pakistan/
  21. https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/26/world/asia/pakistan-imran-khan-bin-laden-martyr.html
  22. https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/678084-pm-s-slip-of-tongue-being-dramatised-sapm
  23. https://www.aljazeera.com/amp/news/2018/07/imran-khan-speech-full-180726124850706.html
  24. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/feb/14/indian-paramilitaries-killed-in-suicide-car-bombing-in-kashmir
  25. https://www.pakistantoday.com.pk/2019/03/22/time-to-work-together-indias-modi-messages-pm-imran/
  26. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kartarpur_Corridor#cite_note-auto2-12
  27. https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/pakistan-prime-minister-to-lay-foundation-stone-for-kartarpur-corridor-on-wednesday/articleshow/66840380.cms
  28. https://www.thenews.com.pk/latest/553143-pm-imran-says-kartarpur-corridor-testimony-of-pakistans-commitment-to-regional-peace
  29. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/World/Pakistan_Opposition_parties_announce_boycott_of_polls/articleshow/2535243.cms
  30. https://www.reuters.com/article/us-pakistan-sharif/pakistan-bars-former-pm-sharif-from-holding-office-for-life-idUSKBN1HK0PG
  31. https://www.dawn.com/news/1446168
  32. https://www.nytimes.com/2019/05/12/world/asia/pakistan-imf-bailout.html
  33. https://www.ft.com/content/10318f10-7677-11e9-bbad-7c18c0ea0201
  34. https://www.news18.com/news/world/pakistan-pm-imran-khan-appoints-abdul-hafeez-shaikh-as-new-finance-ministry-chief-in-major-reshuffle-2109665.html
  35. https://www.dawn.com/news/1518883
  36. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/1559055/Imran-Khan-President-Musharraf-must-resign.html
  37. https://www.khaleejtimes.com/international/pakistan/imran-khans-government-to-defend-ex-pakistan-president-musharraf
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