call for protest
Pakistan’s government on the offensive against ex-PM Khan
Smoke rises from a burning bus during clashes between supporters of former Pakistani Prime Minister Khan and police. photo
© WK Yousafzai/AP/dpa
Heavy protests followed the arrest of ex-Prime Minister Khan. Nuclear power Pakistan threatened to plunge into chaos before the former cricket star was released. Now the government is going on the offensive.
Amid heavy political infighting, Pakistan’s ruling coalition has called on its supporters to stage mass protests. The appeal followed the release of popular opposition leader Imran Khan, who left a court in the capital Islamabad for his hometown of Lahore on Friday under tight security.
The call for protests in Islamabad on Monday can be understood as an attempted demonstration of strength by the government coalition led by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif towards Khan’s supporters. A conflict between the two camps has been smoldering for months. In view of the economic crisis, the South Asian country is divided.
The arrest of Khan last Tuesday had triggered new tensions. There were several deaths in street battles, and for a short time there were even rumors that the military would intervene after supporters stormed bases. The government dismissed the concerns. Another arrest is not excluded. Then chaos could break out again. Some politicians, backed by the military, are calling for a tougher judicial crackdown on Khan.
In around 100 cases, the ex-prime minister has to answer in court. Experts see the move as politically motivated after Khan fell out of favor with the military. The 70-year-old is likely to speculate on re-election in the parliamentary elections planned for autumn. Khan was released on bail. If convicted, he could be banned from political office.
Khan’s election victory in 2018 was overshadowed by allegations
The former cricket star came to power in the 2018 general election amid allegations that the powerful military rigged the vote in his favour. Despite his great popularity, the ex-prime minister disappointed during his tenure. His government was repeatedly accused of mismanagement while the country slipped into an economic crisis. Even under Khan, the opposition at the time was paralyzed with accusations. He was finally overthrown by a vote of no confidence in April 2022.
Since the founding of Pakistan 75 years ago, there has been unrest and instability in the South Asian country. The powerful military ruled for more than half of this time. And even among civilian governments, generals were seen as the force that could decide whether political leadership was successful or not. The nuclear power’s security apparatus has long been highly regarded in the fight against Islamist terror.
Khan has been fighting for a political comeback for almost a year now. He mobilized tens of thousands of supporters at nationwide events. Recent tensions erupted in November when Khan was shot at a rally. Khan then blamed the secret service. The security authorities denied any involvement. “Pakistan is facing volatile, dangerous times,” commented expert Madha Afsal recently in the New York Times.