Incarcerated former prime minister Imran Khan has issued an ultimatum to the incumbent government: meet his demands by Dec. 14 or face a civil disobedience movement.
In a posting from his official X account, seemingly operated from outside Pakistan, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf founder has demanded the release of “all” political prisoners and a judicial probe into the May 9, 2023 riots and the recent crackdown on his party in Islamabad. With the government unlikely to yield, Pakistan stands on the brink of further unrest.
Civil disobedience, the act of peacefully defying unjust authority, has historically proven transformative. Mahatma Gandhi’s 1930 Salt March triggered the dismantling of British control over India by rallying millions in nonviolent resistance. Similarly, the U.S. civil rights movement leveraged collective action to challenge systemic racism. In South Africa, Nelson Mandela’s defiance of anti-apartheid laws inspired global solidarity. These movements thrived on moral clarity and sustained public participation.
Whether the PTI can replicate this success remains to be seen. A 2014 attempt by Khan to launch a similar movement floundered, with gestures like setting fire to electricity bills drawing ridicule rather than inspiration. Khan’s penchant for kneejerk decision-making thrives on instant gratification, and a movement that could require years of effort runs contrary to his political persona. The party’s biggest challenge lies not in rallying public support, but in sustaining it through the long and arduous process that transformative movements require. Disillusioned PTI supporters, frustrated by months of ineffective protests, are beginning to question their leadership’s strategy and direction. Several months of an ineffective movement could see this divide widen.
Pakistan now stands at a crossroads. Will Khan’s latest call to action bring about meaningful change, or will it falter like his earlier efforts, leaving the party—and the country—further fragmented?