How Imran Khan is influencing Pakistan’s politics even from prison

It has been almost a year that former Prime Minister of Pakistan Imran Khan is in jail. Although rarely you will realize it.

Because Imran Khan is still the dominant force of anti-Pakistan politics. His name is appearing regularly in papers and in court, and also through social media. Khan’s supporters are ‘indomitable’.

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. Mr. is in this list. Khan’s lawyers and family.

Despite being in prison for 365 days, Mr. Khan did not bow down, Taimran Khan’s lawyers and his family members are keen to send that message.

Imran Khan’s sister Aleema Khanum said, “There is something noble 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. And there are no signs of their release anytime soon.

Some, however, think that this is not too surprising.

“He (Imran Khan) said he is not wasting a minute in jail. It is an opportunity for him to gain more knowledge,” Alima Khanum told the BBC.

“Imran was not expected to get out of jail easily,” said Michael Kugelman, director of the South Asia Institute at the Wilson Center think tank in Washington.

Mr. Kugelman said Pakistan’s military is the real power player behind the scenes. In his words, “When they decide to detain a political figure, they don’t calm down so quickly.”

“Same thing happened with Imran Khan.”

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

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.

In 2022, Imran Khan was ousted through a vote of no confidence. Then he was arrested on May 9 last year. His supporters took to the streets in protest.

Some of these protests turned violent and several military buildings were allegedly attacked. The list also included the official residence of the most senior army officer in Lahore, which was looted and set on fire.

Then the media organizations of Pakistan Mr. Khan was told to stop showing pictures, taking his name or playing his voice. The BBC has learned about this through sources.

However, the former Prime Minister of Pakistan was released but only for a few weeks.

He was re-arrested on August 5 last year for allegedly failing to provide accurate information about all the gifts he received as Prime Minister. And that was only the beginning.

Before the election, the cases against him increased. In early February, just days before the vote, the 71-year-old leader was sentenced to three terms in prison. The last sentence was 14 years.

During the elections in Pakistan, many of the candidates of Imran Khan’s party PTI were either in jail or in hiding. The team’s cricket bat symbol was also taken away. The party’s symbol was well known in Pakistan, the country of 58% signatures.

“Nevertheless, we were determined,” said Salman Akram Raja, Imran’s lawyer and election candidate.

He said, “It was an absolutely cornered situation. Many could not campaign. Losing the cricket bat symbol 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.

But supporters 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 Khanum said, “There has been 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.

Mr. “We’re really at a point where we can anticipate precedent,” Kugelman said.

“PTI has not formed the government, its leader is still in jail and the ruling coalition is led by military-backed parties.”

But recently, Mr. Things have changed a bit for Khan and his supporters.

All three sentences handed down just before the election have been cancelled.

A panel of the United Nations. Khan’s detention has been declared ‘arbitrary’ and Pakistan’s Supreme Court has said PTI is a government party. They should get ‘reserved seats’.

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

Irmar Khan’s wife Bushra BBI is also in jail. New allegations have been made against him. However, the couple was spared from the case filed against Imran Khan declaring her marriage illegal.

Meanwhile, the Pakistani government has made it clear that it considers Imran Khan and his party 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 indication of such a change.

On May 9 this year, the military’s public relations wing said in a statement that “planners, facilitators and executioners” will not be compromised and will not be allowed to “evade the law of the land”.

Most of the analysts think that it was the ‘relationship’ with the military that finally got Mr. Can save Khan.

“We want to find a way that works for everyone and the administration at the same time,” said Imran Khan’s lawyer Mr. Raza.

Meanwhile Mr. Khan, however, is delivering his message from prison. Alima Khanum recently reported that Imran Khan had told the army to “remain neutral… so that the country can continue”. The former prime minister also called the army the “backbone of Pakistan”.

However, many saw this issue as a ‘peace deal’. Because earlier when the army claimed to be ‘neutral’, Mee Khan scoffed at it. 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.

“I don’t think it’s very realistic”, mr. Kugelman said.

“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 should not go against it”, he added.

Pakistan’s deadlock, however, still continues.

Source:BBC Bangla