Explained: Why Imran Khan's woes will not end with losing Pakistan PM's chair

Observers of Pakistan's politics are of the opinion that the cricketer-turned-politician will have a bumpy track in the days ahead.

Anish Kumar

New Delhi, First Published Apr 9, 2022, 5:45 PM IST | Last Updated Apr 10, 2022, 1:14 AM IST

The countdown for Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan's unceremonious exit from power ended past midnight on Sunday. With Pakistan Supreme Court restoring Parliament and allies deserting him, the no-confidence vote was a mere ritual. Observers of Pakistan's politics are of the opinion that the cricketer-turned-politician will have a bumpy track in the days ahead.

When Imran lost in Pakistan's National Assembly, he became the first prime minister to be ousted through a no-trust motion. He will also maintain the history of no Pakistani prime minister completing their tenure.

Also Read: 3 reasons why Imran Khan lost Pakistan Army's trust and PM's chair

As per experts, Imran Khan-government's shift from traditional foreign policy and contentiously engaging the powerful Pakistan Army and the Inter-Services Intelligence are among the reasons for the ongoing mess in the country.

Talking to Asianet Newsable, Senior Assistant Professor at the South Asian University Dr Dhananjay Tripathi said that Imran has proved to be one of the weakest Prime Ministers that Pakistan had so far.

According to Dr Dhananjay, Imran's tall claims of him having support in the national assembly will be exposed as threadbare. He would not have had to face the situation he is facing now had he maintained cordial relations with his country's powerful military leadership.

Also Read: MQM-Pakistan: The ally who sank Imran Khan's ship

One thing that is very prominent in this entire episode is the role of the Pakistan army. Initially, Imran was their blue-eyed boy but now he does not enjoy their those trust. So, politically, Imran will become very weak in the country. It is certain that he would be marginalised. These are the repercussions that he will have to face in Pakistan’s politics. Imran will have to go for election and try to regain lost ground.

According to Major General Sudhakar Jee (Retd), Imran exploited the gaps in the constitution to extend his objective.

Imran having failed on the economic and diplomatic front, pushed Pakistan into an economic morass and diplomatic isolation. It was for this reason that the army had silently backed the no-confidence motion, enabling the worst of enemies in the opposition to join ranks.

Also Read: Who is Shehbaz Sharif? The man who will be the next Prime Minister of Pakistan

Differences between Imran and Bajwa were on public display during the Islamabad dialogue, where both had opposing views. Simultaneously, Imran has been playing the religious card, his individual honesty and projecting himself as the saviour of Pakistan. Supporting religious groups gives him an advantage.

According to the expert, Imran is also aware that the opposition does not desire immediate elections. It would establish a consensus government, expose Imran and his PTI's corruption and task various accountability bodies to pursue him. This could push Imran away from the limelight and place him at the same level as other politicians. It may also debar him from contesting or holding public office.

Also Read: Reverse swing in Imran Khan's political fortunes

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