Current Leadership of Pakistan Seized Power From Khan, Has 'No Economic Plan' - Political Analyst

The ousted prime minister of Pakistan, Imran Khan, asked his supporters on Wednesday to prepare for a new nationwide march called the 'True Freedom” movement, which will start Saturday. Despite being banned from national TV and facing multiple charges, Khan remains hugely popular amid rising criticism of the government.

Imran Khan, the leader of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party, was ousted from office in April through a no-confidence vote in the parliament. He alleged that the United States had conspired with the then opposition PML-N-Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) coalition.

The vote was held after opposition parties brought a motion against the PTI chairman, following days of political drama. The current governing PML-N-Pakistan People’s Party coalition, with Shehbaz Sharif as prime minister, (brother of former three-time Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif) - could hold power until October 2023, when the next election is due to be held.

However, Imran Khan and his PTI supporters do not want to wait until next year, but are demanding snap elections through peaceful public marches.

For months now, the country has been plagued by a political showdown as the economy rapidly goes downhill. The new government under Shehbaz Sharif appears unable to bring any political stability or economic turnover.

In a comment for Sputnik, overseas Pakistani political analyst Dr. Shahid Rasheed said, "The current government of Shehbaz Sharif lacks a proper economic plan. The coalition government seized power to get rid of their corruption cases and now the country is in economic turmoil, because there is no political stability and no plan. Hence, Imran Khan is pushing for early elections, because economic stability can only come with political stability."

The analyst further shed light on the present situation, saying that foreign investment can only come when Pakistanis trust the government and currently "no Pakistanis in their right minds can trust this coalition government that has seized power from Khan."

After being ousted back in April, Imran Khan laid low for a few weeks and then made a swift comeback by winning the Punjab provincial assembly by-polls in July. The PTI’s win shook the governing PML-N-Pakistan People’s Party coalition, which is finding it tough to tackle the political challenges posed by Khan.

Following a short hiatus, Imran Khan came back stronger, and since then has been voicing harsh criticism of the current coalition government of the PML-N-Pakistan People’s Party.

He has also been critical of the military leadership for allegedly partnering with the US to remove him from power. He has continued the rhetoric since his ouster and has repeatedly called Sharif's government an imported "regime."

According to some reports, the decision to hold a no-confidence vote against the PTI chairman has backfired greatly for the Sharif-led coalition government and the current leadership of the military establishment.

"Not only has Khan won back Punjab against all odds, but also he has been able to sell his anti-establishment narrative in the province to an extent that the institution seems unable to do anything to counter him," according to Pakistani journalist Umair Jamal.

At present, the coalition government is clinging to power in an effort to put Imran Khan under pressure, but in a recent speech, Khan once again called on the nation to take to the streets for a peaceful march.

According to some reports, the march should be expected to raise the stakes to a level where elections appear as the only solution for all stakeholders.

Meanwhile, the current government is trying its best to lessen Khan's effect by banning his speeches from live satellite television. The national regulator has accused Khan of “baseless allegations” against the state and “spreading hate speech.”

Khan has repeatedly denied the accusations, saying agencies are working against him in order to shut him up. The speech resulted in a “terrorism” case being filed against Khan, but he was later granted bail.

The PTI chair stated that access to YouTube was reportedly disrupted across the country in an attempt to block a live speech he was giving in the city of Rawalpindi back in August. Efforts to ban Khan from the public eye have been met with pushback from the public and across the political divide within the country.

"Banishing completely a political leader from the media is not the best policy," tweeted former Pakistani Senator Farhatullah Babar of the center-left Pakistan People's Party. "It risks making someone bigger than life unwittingly and undeservingly," he added.

PTI lawyer Faisal Fareed Chaudhry said that freedom of speech is a fundamental right of every Pakistani.

Now, with Imran Khan's announcement for Saturday's march, it remains unclear whether it will be televised or not. Earlier this week, Khan appealed to Pakistanis to join his movement for "Haqqiqi Azadi," which translates as "True Freedom."

Thank you Chakwal for the record turnout today at my Haqiqi Azadi jalsa. I have asked my nation to smash the idol of fear through which this imported govt of crooks ( 60 percent of the cabinet is on bail ) seeks to enslave us. MashaAllah our nation is ready. pic.twitter.com/xOKtwZfBKS

— Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) September 19, 2022

He warned that it is vital to take action now before the country descends into social unrest. He stressed that the economy shrinking along with an increase in unemployment and skyrocketing inflation is pulling Pakistan into deep turmoil.

According to Khan, Pakistan would not need IMF money if only affluent overseas Pakistanis invested in the country.

He also took a hit at Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s meeting with his brother Nawaz in London, where they reportedly discussed the upcoming army chief’s appointment. Khan asked, "Would these people take decisions about the most important position of national security? An army of lions will lose if led by a jackal, but an army of jackals will win if led by a lion," as reported by the newspaper Dawn.

At a rally last Saturday, in the Jhelum district of Punjab province, Khan said he was waging a war against the “thieves” who had looted Pakistan for 30 years and was also fighting for the supremacy of the law.

"I am waging war against these thieves who looted the country for 30 years. I am fighting for the supremacy of law. I am fighting for a country which was supposed to be an Islamic welfare state,” Khan said, as reported by Dawn.

Charsadda jalsa today where once again a sea of people responded to my Haqiqi Azadi Tehreek. What is beyond any doubt is that Pakistan is witnessing a revolution unfolding. We should all ensure it is peaceful and through the ballot box. pic.twitter.com/3WpEtvSmDI

— Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) September 17, 2022

Meanwhile, following his recent calls for a march, Islamabad police have started reinforcing security at the entry and exit points of the city's Red Zone, which is the part of the capital that houses foreign embassies and United Nations offices.

Furthermore, Pakistan's interior minister threatened PTI supporters, warning of "strong action" against the marchers attempting to reach D-Chowk. It is located in the government district, close to several important buildings: the Presidency, the prime minister's office, the parliament, and the Supreme Court. The square is a common venue for political rallies and other public gatherings, and has been compared with Egypt's Tahrir Square.

Previously, Khan's marches have gathered tens of thousands of people. Men and women have taken to the streets to show their solidarity with the PTI leader. The youth, who make up the backbone of Khan’s supporters, have always dominated the crowds.

Waving large flags of Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party and shouting slogans, people held rallies in the capital Islamabad, Karachi, Lahore, Peshawar, Multan, and other cities after he was ousted, demanding he make a comeback.

Months later, he remains highly popular and thousands of supporters show up to listen to his speeches and display their loyalty to the PTI chairman.