How Imran Khan has maintained influence in politics even from prison

Last Updated on August 28, 2024 8:00 am

Former Prime Minister of Pakistan Imran Khan has been in jail for almost a year. However, despite being in prison, he has maintained his influence in the country’s politics.

According to the BBC report, Imran Khan is still the dominant force in Pakistan’s opposition politics. His name appears regularly in papers and in courts, and Imran’s supporters are ‘unrelenting’ on social media as well.

The few people who regularly meet the former cricket star, though unable to come in public, have become the only ambassadors to convey his (Imran Khan’s) message to the outside world. This list includes Imran’s lawyers and family.

Imran Khan’s lawyers and his family members are keen to send a message that despite being in jail, Imran Khan has not bowed down. Imran’s sister Alima Khanum said, there is something irresistible about him. He has no needs, no demands. There is only one purpose.

According to those who visit, the former cricket star spends his days working out on an exercise bike, reading books and thinking. He has about an hour a day to roam the yard.

However, there are occasional disagreements over how quickly the family can provide him with new books. But the fact is, Imran Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi are still in jail. There are no signs of their release anytime soon.

Some, however, think this is not too surprising. Imran Khan said that he is not wasting even a minute in jail. This is an opportunity for her to gain more knowledge, Alima Khanam told the BBC.

Michael Kugelman, director of the South Asia Institute at the Wilson Center think tank in Washington, said his release from jail was easy, and there was no expectation that Imran would do anything like that.

Pakistan’s military is the real power player behind the scenes, Kugelman said. According to him, when they decide to imprison a political figure, they don’t calm down so quickly.

He said, this has also happened in the case of Imran Khan.

But this army was at the root of many ups and downs of Imran Khan’s life in the last decade.

Many analysts believe that Imran Khan’s close relationship with the military establishment initially helped him come to power. But the picture has completely changed. That relationship hit rock bottom in the past year.

Imran’s lawyer and election candidate Salman Akram Raja said, “However, we were determined.” He said, it was a very difficult situation. Many could not campaign. The loss of the symbol of the cricket bat was a blow.

Since all the PTI candidates stood as independent candidates, there was not much hope within the party.

Yet candidates supported by Imran Khan won more seats than others and forced their political rivals to form alliances. PTI approached the court alleging rigging.

Supporters, however, see the February 8 election as a ‘turning point’. According to them, this election sends the message of Imran Khan’s strong presence even from inside the prison.

Alima Khanom said there was a change and it was revealed on February 8. Change is coming and its signs are in the air.

Others think that the status quo has not changed in this election result.

But recently, things have changed a bit for Imran Khan and his supporters.

All three sentences handed down just before the election have been cancelled. A UN panel has declared Imran Khan’s detention ‘arbitrary’ and Pakistan’s Supreme Court has said the PTI is a government party. They should get ‘reserved seats’.

But none of this actually happened. Imran Khan is still in jail. A new case has been filed in his name. Reserved seats have not been allotted to PTI yet.

Meanwhile, the Pakistani government has made it clear that it considers Imran Khan and his party to be a ‘danger’ to the people. Pakistan’s government announced earlier this month that it intends to ban the PTI, despite warnings from the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan.

The military, however, has given no sign of change.

The public relations wing of the military said in a statement on May 9 this year that the planners, those who support them and the executioners will not be compromised and will not be allowed to evade the laws of the land.

Most of the analysts feel that the ‘connection’ with the military could ultimately save Imran Khan from jail.

We are trying to find a way that works for everyone and the administration at the same time, said Imran Khan’s lawyer Raja.

Meanwhile, Imran Khan is delivering his message from the prison. Alima Khanum recently said that Imran Khan has told the army to remain neutral… so that the country can continue. The former prime minister also said that the army is the backbone of Pakistan.

However, many saw this as a ‘peace deal’. Because earlier when the army claimed to be ‘neutral’, Mee Khan scoffed at this. He said, only an animal can be neutral.

Imran Khan’s recent call for early elections is seen by many as one of the ‘conditions’ imposed on the military.

Imran Khan may become a bit flexible with time. A reality of Pakistani politics is that if you want to be prime minister, you have to be at the mercy of the army. At least it is not necessary to go against it, he further informs.

Pakistan’s stalemate, however, still continues.

Source: BBC Bangla