TLDR:
• Imran Khan is no political martyr.
• Oxford chancellorship was a publicity stunt.
• Khan offered no real solutions for Pakistan’s crises.
London (The Thursday Times) — An op-ed from British newspaper The Times has stated that Imran Khan is a symbol of chaos in Pakistan—that he portrays himself as a political martyr like Gandhi and Nelson Mandela, though he is not a political martyr. Imran Khan came to power with the support of the military, and when that support was withdrawn, his rule ended. He is not a protector of anyone’s rights or freedoms.
According to The Times, the decision to disqualify Imran Khan from Oxford University’s chancellorship is entirely appropriate. In reality, Khan was never a serious contender for Oxford’s chancellorship, and his candidacy was merely a publicity stunt. For Imran Khan, the chancellor race was a way to draw attention to his political grievances and problems in Pakistan.
Oxford University avoided commenting on individual candidacies for the chancellorship, but when the list of eligible candidates was released, Imran Khan’s name was not included. Khan studied philosophy, politics, and economics at Oxford’s Keble College in the 1970s as an honorary student, but for various reasons, he was not suited to become the university’s chancellor.
The British newspaper pointed out that three years ago, Imran Khan blamed women’s clothing for the rise in rape cases in Pakistan. These views were not only objectionable but also hypocritical, as during his younger days, Khan himself spent time at parties in the UK with women in revealing attire.
Imran Khan is not a guardian of rights or freedoms. His offer to defend academic freedoms and free expression at Oxford University was completely contradictory to his conduct while in power in Pakistan. During his tenure, the media faced restrictions, journalists were regularly harassed and intimidated, and any criticism of the government was branded as treason.
The Times further explained that Khan came to power in 2018 with the slogan of “change,” supported by the military, and promised to rid Pakistan of corruption. His party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), showed voters a vision of a “new Pakistan,” with promises of wealth redistribution. Instead, inflation skyrocketed, unemployment increased, and the Pakistani rupee depreciated, leading Pakistan to seek a $4.75 billion loan from the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
While in power, Imran Khan cynically used Islamic values and anti-Western sentiments for political gain. He even referred to Osama bin Laden as a “martyr” and established ties with extremist elements, earning him the nickname “Taliban Khan” from his opponents. Eventually, when the military withdrew its support, Khan’s government collapsed, and in 2022, he was ousted through a no-confidence vote.
The London-based international newspaper The Times noted that while Khan’s authoritarian tendencies were at their peak during his time in power, he attempted to dissolve parliament during the no-confidence vote, a move blocked by the courts. He blamed his downfall on an American conspiracy for which he failed to provide any solid evidence, and these accusations were also denied by Washington.
According to The Times, Khan remains popular in Pakistan, but he has largely been forgotten by the West. He has been imprisoned for more than a year on corruption charges. He tries to portray himself as a “political martyr” who has sacrificed everything for his principles, much like Mohandas Gandhi and Nelson Mandela, but this narrative does not reflect reality.
No prime minister in Pakistan has ever completed their constitutional term in office. Prime ministers have faced assassination or imprisonment, and sometimes both. Any politician who reaches the pinnacle of power faces danger. Former Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto was hanged in 1979, his daughter and former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto was assassinated in 2007, and another political leader, Nawaz Sharif, has been ousted and jailed multiple times, in 1999 and 2017.
The Times wrote that while politicians come and go in Pakistan, certain things never change. The military remains an omnipresent force within the country, with military generals having ruled Pakistan for 34 years. Politicians generally only come to power with the military’s approval. Imran Khan also ascended to power with the military’s support, and the moment that support ended, so did his rule.
Pakistan’s economic crisis is another constant. Last month, the IMF approved a new $5.25 billion loan program for Pakistan, the latest in a series of bailouts spanning many years. Pakistan’s total foreign debt stands at approximately $90 billion. Last summer, inflation reached 38%, though it has eased in recent months. The severity of the situation is evident to the average Pakistani, as 700,000 people have left the country this year in search of a better life.
According to The Times, while Khan never offered any real solution to Pakistan’s deep-rooted issues and divisions, his imprisonment is still a stain on Pakistan’s democracy. The UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention has declared his detention a violation of international law and has called for his immediate release.
Khan’s former wife, Jemima Goldsmith, has claimed that Imran Khan’s weekly phone calls with his British sons have been cut off, and he is now languishing in prison without electricity and in solitary confinement. The UK, which has historic ties with Pakistan and is the largest donor to its diaspora, should use its influence to condemn Khan’s imprisonment, despite the fact that he is not a champion of democratic values.