Islamabad
Pakistan’s former Prime Minister, Imran Khan, once the nation’s most popular leader, faces a precarious political future as serious legal challenges cast shadows over his participation in the upcoming general elections slated for February 8, 2024. Ousted from power on April 10, 2022, through a vote of no confidence by the Opposition alliance, Khan has been at the center of major legal battles, encompassing allegations from corruption to sedition. Despite being imprisoned and witnessing the dissolution of his political party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), following the May 9 riots targeting military installations, Khan continues to enjoy unwavering support from his followers, dismissing all charges against him as false and concocted. With the elections drawing near, the likelihood of Khan’s exclusion from the race raises concerns, potentially resulting in a weakened voter turnout. Senior political analyst Javed Siddique expresses apprehensions about the credibility of the election process without Khan’s participation, stating, If Imran Khan would not be contesting the next elections, and keeping in view the majority support he still enjoys among the people, the whole election process would remain shrouded with concerns and questions over its credibility. The absence of Imran Khan, the country’s most popular leader, from the electoral landscape could impact voter participation significantly. A recent GALLUP survey indicates that 63% of PTI voters would abstain from casting their votes if Khan is not the chairman of PTI. The survey posed the question, If Imran Khan will not be the chairman of Tehreek-e-Insaf, but the party still stands in the elections, would you vote for such a party? A resounding 63% responded with a clear NO, while 37% expressed willingness to support the party.
