Pakistani politics

Pakistan's former Cricket captain Imran Khan entered politics in the late 1990s, forming a party called Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf (the Justice Party). However, although he was worshipped by millions in the country as one of the greatest cricketers the country has ever produced, and more significantly, under whose leadership Pakistan won its first and only Cricket World Cup in 1992, Khan was never considered a serious politician, even by his ardent fans.

Prior to a rally in Lahore last month, Khan was considered a "nobody" in Pakistani politics, which is largely dominated by traditional political clans and dynasties, with mostly feudal and tribal backgrounds. Khan had held many anti-government rallies before but none of them had been that successful. Last month, the Pakistani media said over 100,000 people had turned up to attend the meeting in Lahore.

So how did a person, who was doubted even by members of his own political party as a political alternative to the Bhuttos and the Sharifs, become a force to reckon with in the Islamic Republic of Pakistan? Was it because of the support of the ubiquitous Pakistan Army and its Inter-Services Intelligence agency, as his critics claim? Or was it the relentless political campaigning that he has been doing for 15 years? Khan's supporters believe it is the latter.

"Khan's stance on corruption, terrorism and nepotism in the Pakistani politics has struck a chord with the masses, which are fed up with their ruling elite. He has no corruption charges on him, no foreign assets," explains PTI member and biotechnology expert from Islamabad, Khawar Sohail.

Lahore rally marks a breakthrough

He has found a following although his party is less organized than the country’s other mainstream political forces, such as the ruling Pakistan People's Party (PPP) and the Pakistan Muslim League of former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.

The Lahore rally has shown that he has finally managed to transform popular support into a political strength. "It was the first time that political analysts and common people started to take him seriously," Owais Tohid, the correspondent for the Wall Street Journal in Karachi, told Deutsche Welle.

Tohid also says that the fact that Khan is supported by the Pakistani youth, who have always played a significant role in the country’s politics, is also important. They were instrumental in bringing former Pakistani prime ministers Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto and her daughter Benazir Bhutto to power in 1973 and 1988. According to the United Nations, 63 percent of the Pakistani population falls under the age of 25. Political commentators believe that no political party in Pakistan can do well in elections without the support of the youth.

Right-wing support

Many observers also think Khan is backed by Pakistan’s right-wing groups, in particular the conservative military establishment, because of his "soft" stance on the Taliban and other Islamist militants. His rise in Pakistani politics, some people say, is because of his "good relations" with the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), who agree on matters such as Afghanistan or Pakistan’s national security discourse.

Amima Sayeed, a development researcher from Karachi, told Deutsche Welle that the Oxford graduate and ex-husband of Jemima Khan, most definitely supports right-wing extremists. "He has not made it secret. When the Swat peace deal between the government and the Taliban was introduced in 2009, Imran Khan was the first politician to support it. His collaboration with the Islamic Jamat-e-Islami party is also a proof of his right-wing agenda," she said.

"He might not sound like a religious political leader of the Jamat-e-Islami or the Jamiat-e-Ulema-e-Islam, but his views about the region, the world, and in particular about the militant groups in Pakistan, are sympathetic if not supportive of the religious right," agreed Tohid. "He opposes military crackdown on the militants and dismisses the idea that there has been an increase in the Jihadi culture in Pakistan over the years."

In recent interviews with the Western media, Khan has rubbished allegations that his party is trying to accommodate the Islamists. He has also said he wants good ties with the US and the West. Earlier this month, the Pakistani Taliban criticized Khan for being a "liberal" and supporter of the West. They said Khan was no different from other Pakistani politicians.

Whether the rise of Imran Khan really marks a revolutionary beginning in Pakistani politics or whether his current success is ephemeral will be seen in the next general election that is scheduled for 2013.

Author: Shamil Shams
Editor: Anne Thomas