The story of Imran Khan, the national hero who crowned Pakistan with a spectacular victory in the Cricket World Cup 1992, a philanthropist, politician, and Prime Minister of Pakistan (2018-2022) was born on October 5, 1952.
The story of his ascension from a dashing cricketer to the charismatic leader of Pakistan is a rollercoaster ride, loaded with failures, challenges, and victories. In this blog post, we will have a of his political journey, exploring the defining moments that have altered the entire trajectory of his career and Pakistan’s political history.
Transition from a Cricketer to a Politician:
After completing his studies at the University of Oxford, Khan joined Pakistan’s national cricket team and soon became an international cricket sensation. After creating history in Pakistani Cricket by winning the World Cup against England in 1992, he retired with the reputation of one of the best cricketers in history.
This was followed up by a spiritual awakening that led to the replacement of his playboy image with that of a religious person. He was a well-known philanthropist. The construction of Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital in Lahore is one of his most renowned contributions which earned him a great reputation.
Although his charismatic personality and impressive performance on the playing field earned him great appreciation and respect, it was his blasting entry into politics that gave him unparalleled recognition within the country and across the world.
After retirement from cricket, he started taking an avid interest in politics and became a strong-headed and vociferous critic of economic inequality, corruption, and mismanagement of politicians.
Birth of PTI:
In 1996 he laid the foundation of his own political party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf. His primary ambition of founding this party was to weed out the diseases of nepotism, corruption, and mismanagement from Pakistan.
The main motto of his party was the creation of a “New Pakistan” (Naya Pakistan) where justice is served and corruption is wiped out from the roots of every institution. PTI strived hard to gain reputation, recognition, and credibility in its early years. The journey from establishing a party that nobody knows to become the most famous party in the country is not without hurdles and challenges at every point.
Nevertheless, Khans’ charisma, invincible faith, unwavering courage, and undisputable confidence attracted a large number of devoted followers from the urban middle class, the vast majority of which was youth.
His newly formed party participated in the national elections the next year and failed miserably with less than 1 percent votes and without securing any seat in the National Assembly.
However, the politics of Pakistan took a major turn when he won an incredible victory in the elections of July 2018 with the alliance of several other political parties and became the Prime Minister of Pakistan on August 18.
Key Policies of Imran Khan government:
Imran Khan’s government has introduced several policies to address some of the most pressing issues in Pakistan. The primary focus of his government was on fighting corruption and establishing a strong judicial system that would hold criminals accountable for their actions without taking into concern their ranks and credentials.
He has played an instrumental role in fixing the economy of Pakistan especially by attracting foreign investors and guaranteeing loans from international institutions. His efforts toward providing relief to the most down-and-out citizens through efforts like the Ehsaas Program are especially worth appreciation.
Imran Khan’s government has adopted a very planned position regarding foreign policy and has sought to create smooth relationships with countries like China, the US, India, and Saudi Arabia.
Furthermore, his government used to allocate a hefty amount of budget for education and healthcare services with the aim of providing equal and quality education and healthcare facilities for citizens of all social strata.
Challenges faced by Imran Khan:
The journey of Imran Khan from the establishment of a novice political party to the rise of Power as a Prime Minister was not without challenges though he defeated them all.
Imran Khan has to battle with harsh reviews from parties on his policies regarding press freedom, the economy, and the dynamics of his relationship with the military institution.
Moreover, the opposition also falsely accused him of election control. With an unstable economy and, the chaotic and ever-changing political landscape of Pakistan, nothing can be said about Imran Khan’s political career with certainty.
However, his dynamic personality and lofty vision have left a deep impression on the heart of the people of Pakistan and its political history.
Pakistani public and the world have their eyes on Khan as he navigates through the noisy world of Pakistani politics.