• About Us
  • Who Are We
  • Work With Us
Wednesday, September 27, 2023
No Result
View All Result
NEWSLETTER
The Globe Post
39 °f
New York
44 ° Fri
46 ° Sat
40 ° Sun
41 ° Mon
No Result
View All Result
The Globe Post
No Result
View All Result
Home Opinion

Why Imran Khan Will Stay in Power in Pakistan

Samina Yasmeen by Samina Yasmeen
08/10/19
in Opinion
Pakistan's Prime Minister Imran Khan addresses a political campaign rally

Pakistan's Prime Minister Imran Khan addressing a political campaign rally. Photo: Farooq Naeem/AFP

Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

During the last few weeks, Pakistan’s opposition parties have failed twice in their efforts to destabilize Prime Minister Imran Khan’s government. Their attempts were designed to seize upon the Pakistani masses’ increasing disillusionment with Khan’s government.

Having come to power with a promise of creating a “Naya Pakistan” (new Pakistan), Khan’s regime has yet to provide relief to the country’s poor. Instead, continuous inflation has been a growing problem for them. In July 2019, the annual inflation rate increased to 10.34 percent, the highest of the last six years. This has affected the prices of food, housing and utilities, clothing and footwear, and education as well as a host of other services. For the poor, some of which earn as little as Rs12,000 ($75) a month, it is difficult to survive.

The Rupee has lost its value by a third in the last year, which has equally impacted the business community. Khan’s failure to consider the business community’s concerns in designing its export/import policies has only compounded the country’s economic problems.

The Pakistani government is constrained in making any adjustments without a nod from the IMF that agreed to extend a loan of $6 billion over three years. As a result, it is not uncommon to hear people from different economic strata complaining about the burdens placed upon them since Khan assumed power last year. It could be argued that not all those complaining have a valid reason: the traders, for example, are reluctant to document their business activities as it would force them to pay more taxes. But the overall result, nevertheless, is one of disillusionment with the PTI government led by Khan.

Pakistan’s opposition parties expected to channel this disillusionment into anti-government rallies on July 25 while simultaneously securing control of the Parliament’s Upper House. However, in a surprising result, the opposition failed to secure enough votes to unseat the PTI’s Chairperson of the Senate and replace him with an opposition Senator.

These two failures clearly suggest that a constellation of interests support the cricketer-turned-politician Khan, who is likely to stay in power in the foreseeable future.

Pakistan’s Military

The military establishment, which is credited with bringing Khan’s PTI to power, continues to support the regime, guided by its assessment of the geopolitical and economic realities Pakistan faces.

The growing amity between India and the Gulf States that were historically “close” to Pakistan, increased international criticism of Pakistan’s counterterrorism policies, and the downward economic spiral carry the possibility of pushing Pakistan permanently into the category of pariah states. This could severely limit the military’s access to modern weapon technologies at a stage when India is acquiring weapons, for example, from Israel.

The military recognizes the need for stability and a pliable prime minister to wrest Pakistan out of what could be a perilous state with long-term implications, including the budget allocations for the military.

US Troops and Afghanistan

At the global front, the U.S. government, particularly President Donald J. Trump, is keen to pull troops out of Afghanistan. This withdrawal is unlikely to materialize without support and cooperation from the Pakistani government and their military that enjoys strong influence over Taliban leadership.

Since invading Afghanistan in 2001, the U.S. has incurred both human and resource costs. The U.S. combat operations (including related regional support activities), was estimated at a total of $756 billion since 2001 as of March 2019, with approximately $45 billion requested for each of 2018 and 2019. These amounts do not include the money spent on aid in Afghanistan’s civilian sector. Keen to demonstrate that he has extricated the U.S. from this endless expenditure and to use it for his election campaign, Trump needs Pakistan’s help.

Zalmay Khalilzad
US Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation Zalmay Khalilzad. Photo: Brendan Smialowski, AFP

It is clear to the U.S. administration that for this withdrawal, they need the Pakistan government and the military. The last few months have clearly shown that the U.S. peace envoy Zalmay Khalilzad needs a supportive Pakistan regime. The American president, therefore, has moved from the previous recriminations directed at Pakistan to praising Khan and Pakistan, something that was quite obvious during Khan’s recent visit to Washington.

As long as Pakistan’s military and President Trump need Khan, the country’s opposition parties are unlikely to succeed in taking over power. The stars are aligned in favor of Khan’s PTI and not the opposition.

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed here are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the editorial position of The Globe Post.
ShareTweet
Samina Yasmeen

Samina Yasmeen

Director of the Centre for Muslim States and Societies, at the University of Western Australia. She specializes in South Asian foreign relations, jihadi narratives and Muslim citizens in Australia

Related Posts

Joe Biden
Opinion

The ‘Polycrisis’ Challenge: Biden’s Vision for Global Problem-Solving

by Greg Granger
September 26, 2023
US Authorities Seize Artworks Allegedly Stolen by Nazis
Art

US Authorities Seize Artworks Allegedly Stolen by Nazis

by Staff Writer
September 19, 2023
Pro-Trump protester in front of Capitol Hill.
Opinion

The Ominous (and Irresponsible) Chatter of a Civil War 

by Stephen J. Lyons
September 4, 2023
US soldiers
National

Biden to Reform Way Military Handles Sexual Assault Cases

by Staff Writer
July 28, 2023
A Taliban fighter walks past a beauty parlor
World

Thousands of Afghan Salons Close as Taliban Deadline Bites

by Staff Writer
July 25, 2023
Women holding up a coathanger reading 'we love our bodily integrity' during a abortion protest.
National

First No-Prescription Birth Control Pill Approved in US

by Staff Writer
July 13, 2023
Next Post
Hong Kong has been shaken by massive anti-government rallies this month

'We're Still Here': Hong Kong Protesters Return to Streets

Women in Kashmir holding up a sign protesting the scrapping of Article 370

Disinherited and Disempowered, Kashmiris Have No Option but to Resist

Recommended

Joe Biden

The ‘Polycrisis’ Challenge: Biden’s Vision for Global Problem-Solving

September 26, 2023
Air France flights

Niger Bans French Aircraft From Its Airspace: Aviation Authority 

September 25, 2023
Chinese President Xi Jinping

China Announces ‘Strategic Partnership’ With Syria

September 22, 2023
Man holding up a colored LGBT flag

France Sets Up Embassy Fund to Defend LGBTQ Rights

September 19, 2023
US Authorities Seize Artworks Allegedly Stolen by Nazis

US Authorities Seize Artworks Allegedly Stolen by Nazis

September 19, 2023
Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida speaks during a news conference

Japan PM to Replace Foreign and Defense Ministers: Reports

September 12, 2023

Opinion

Joe Biden

The ‘Polycrisis’ Challenge: Biden’s Vision for Global Problem-Solving

September 26, 2023
Pro-Trump protester in front of Capitol Hill.

The Ominous (and Irresponsible) Chatter of a Civil War 

September 4, 2023
A bamboo-based design raises family homes safely above water levels to cope with raising water levels in Bangladesh.

The West Owes Climate Refugees Reparations Now

August 14, 2023
President Donald Trump in the Brady Briefing Room of the White House.

Boxing Day Comes to South Florida

July 5, 2023
‘Deaths of Despair:’ Why Are US Suicides on the Rise?

An Inspired Choice to Lead the CDC

June 13, 2023
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis speaks at the Republican Jewish Coalition Annual Leadership Meeting in Las Vegas, Nevada, on November 19, 2022.

Florida Man Channels Benito Mussolini

June 13, 2023
Facebook Twitter

Newsletter

Do you like our reporting?
SUBSCRIBE

About Us

The Globe Post

The Globe Post is part of Globe Post Media, a U.S. digital news organization that is publishing the world's best targeted news sites.

submit oped

© 2018 The Globe Post

No Result
View All Result
  • National
  • World
  • Business
  • Interviews
  • Lifestyle
  • Democracy at Risk
    • Media Freedom
  • Opinion
    • Editorials
    • Columns
    • Book Reviews
    • Stage
  • Submit Op-ed

© 2018 The Globe Post