Over a year since his arrest on Aug. 5, 2023, former prime minister Imran Khan remains incarcerated, despite various courts either suspending his convictions or acquitting him in the cases against him.
The incarceration, meanwhile, has done little to dent Khan’s popularity among the masses, bolstered by the party’s strong showing in the Feb. 8 general elections even though it was unable to contest under its electoral symbol, with its candidates contesting as “independents.” Yet, even with this popularity—and a provincial government in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa—the party has failed to cause any significant damage to the ruling coalition, with reports of infighting over the party’s future approach now commonplace.
The prevailing situation has boosted frustrations within the PTI, with Khan declaring the country has reached a “do or die” moment and announcing a sustained protest movement spanning various cities, primarily in Punjab, whose government is led by the Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz). The vitriol from PTI leaders in the lead-up to the protests—most notably from Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur—has elicited equally vehement responses from the PMLN, which has accused the PTI of inciting ethnic hatred by seeking to pit Pashtuns against Punjabis. This is clearly a zero-sum game, where there can be no winners.
The hard truth that the government must accept that Khan remains a popular leader despite being behind bars. It must also accept that its policies—arguably essential to achieve economic stability—have dented its own standing among the public and reversing this trend could take years of sustained efforts. Amidst all this, Pakistan’s economy continues to slowly inch toward recovery, is facing resurgent terrorism, and has several internal flashpoints, including the missing persons issue in Balochistan. To be clear, any progress could be dashed if any major political standoff arises through street agitation. The best bet for the country, and all stakeholders, is to take a step back, commit to dialogue and resolve all pending issues through political engagement. Anything less risks derailing Pakistan at a point it can least afford such unrest.