This is the saga of the third populist leader of Pakistan, the first being Muhammad Ali Jinnah, the second Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto, and finally Imran Ahmad Khan Niazi. This story starts with the World cup of 1992 the only one that Pakistan won and there emerges the unrivaled hero of Pakistan. This guy is equally pursued by the West and the East. It may not be an overstatement to compare his fame to Lady Diana. Imran Khan is handsome, well-read, well-spoken, and well-educated. Having studied from some of the top-tier institutions in Pakistan and abroad this Khan has been exposed quite early to elite Western civilization. In that elite clique, Imran is hailed as a Greek god due to his good looks and masculinity. Khan’s love for parties and woman is undeniable and even propagated in his early interviews. However, soon Khan realizes that he cannot fit into the Elite West as he himself stated in one of his interviews that “A donkey does not become a Zebra even if you paint it”. Thus, Khan returns back to his homeland and instead of fitting in the West, he decides to bring the West to the East by marrying into a filthy rich half-Jewish family. The marriage does not last long and even the West could not adjust to the East resulting in a divorce where the West also takes back her two boys. Meanwhile, Khan goes through a religious reincarnation, has started adorning Pakistani attire, and is deeply impressed by some of his spiritual teachers such as Professor Ahmad Rafique, who later in his life regrettably recalls his student as a ‘Nalaiq Aadmi’.
Now Khan is not only a foreign-educated, English-speaking good-looking, tall-heighted, cricket champion but is also a patriotic Pakistani as he only wears a shalwar-kameez and Peshawri chappal. In addition, Khan is also transpiring as a spiritual person with deep affiliations with Islam. His new-found love for Pakistan, its culture and Islam is as evident as his love for women and parties in his cricket heydays. He has also become the biggest charity collector in Pakistan after Abdul Sattar Edhi. In 1996, Khan officially steps foot into Pakistan’s politics with his party called Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf. Given his educational, professional, and social background, it may be stated that Khan emerged as a Triton among the Minnows (‘Andhon mein Kaana Raaja‘) in the political sphere of Pakistan. In simple terms, Khan enjoyed the popularity, trust, and confidence of the general public which no other public figure in Pakistan did mainly due to his face value. Yet it is evident that like every other Westernized Pakistani youth Imran Ahmad Khan Niazi also suffers a great deal from an identity crisis. An example of it is that he is neither a Pashto-speaking Khan nor a member of the Niazi clan.
Anyhow, after a struggle of 22 years, Khan finally becomes the 22nd Prime Minister of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. Khan’s win is often accredited to the emerging populist phenomenon around the globe with the likes of Trump in the US and Modi in India gaining mass following. Accustomed to the West, Khan quickly realizes the significance of social media and adopts an aggressive social media strategy politicizing the youth of Pakistan. Fortunately for Khan, more than 60% of Pakistan’s population consists of youngsters under the age of 35. Building on his populist agenda Khan makes the youth realize that America and India as well as everyone in Pakistan including politicians, bureaucracy, army, establishment, judiciary, and police are their enemies while he is the messiah they have been waiting for. It was partly true given the demigod-like background of Khan regardless of his controversial marriages, illegitimate kids, and widely known addiction to drugs.
During Khan’s 3 years tenure, he will be remembered for his initiatives such as the Single National Curriculum, Ahsaas Program, apt economic strategies during pandemic, health cards, promotion of the concept of Riast-e-Madina, speeches at the UN general assembly and his ability to instrumentalize Islam, his push-ups, his tasbeeh and walking around with a journal. His followers also commend how handsome Khan used to look during his speeches and foreign visits.
However, he will also be remembered for multiple U-turns, annexation of Kashmir by India, backing out of bringing Dr. Affia Siddique back, while helping blasphemy convict Asia Bibi settle abroad, CJ Saqib Nisar Fund, crackdown on another emerging political party Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan due to their sit-in against France when it conducted state-level blasphemy, blatant violation of press freedom and shutting down of CPEC. One thing that will always confuse the public is Al-Qadir University which was an international-level mega-project that has gone down with much disgrace.
Lastly, one thing which Khan could not learn even after all his life’s achievements was sportsman spirit. After he was ousted from power in 2022 by a conspiracy that even Khan seems to be confused about, he started acting like the kid who plays cricket on the streets of Pakistan and is called ‘Rondhu’ because every time he is bowled, he picks up his bat and wickets and threatens to end the game since no one can play if he isn’t playing. Some researchers even claim that Khan tends to have narcissistic tendencies. Today Khan wants his followers to avenge his political defeat and suffers from self-victimization. Khan’s followers have left no stone unturned in this pursuit as they have burnt down core commander’s house, the Peshawar radio station, and even an F-6 fighter jet. Khan is yet to appear in court for more than 100 FIRs lodged against him by his political rivals who are giving him quite a tough time. Khan deserves empathy given the vulturous political scenario of Pakistan yet it is also evident that to deal with these vultures Pakistan needs someone who does not suffer from an identity crisis, self-victimization, or narcissism per se.
This is a developing story.
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