Imran Khan vs. Establishment: Pakistan’s Youth and Political Turning Point

Posted on

By Kondaraju Sandeep Royal and Avala Gnaneswar Reddy

Pakistan’s recent election results marked a potential turning point in its political history, with Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party emerging as the front-runner, challenging the military-backed establishment. This research piece will analyse this phenomenon through power dynamics, social change and the complexities of navigating a nascent democracy.

Khan’s Populist Appeal: Factors and the Erosion of Traditional Power Structures

Imran Ahmad Khan Niazi, cricket legend turned politician, gained prominence by addressing Pakistan’s economic issues, political dynasties, and military influence. His success is attributing to crafting a compelling narrative that resonated with a disillusioned population. He positioned himself as an outsider, battling the corrupt elite and civil-military establishment duo, and his populist rhetoric resonated with young people who felt disenfranchised by dynastic politics and economic.

The demographic shift, forming half of the electorate under 30, presents a challenge to traditional power structures. Stagnant wages, rising inflation, and limited job opportunities create a sense of hopelessness. This young generation, armed with smartphones and social media, is less beholden to the old guard and more susceptible to populist narratives. The gap between the rich and poor widened, and necessities like healthcare and education remained out of reach. Khan capitalised on this sentiment, framing his campaign as a fight against the deep state and promising a New Pakistan.

This content is for members only.

All the views and opinions expressed are those of the author’s. Image Credit – Google Images.

About the Author

Kondaraju Sandeep Royal is a research consultant at the Phadke Journal of Strategic Studies (PJSS), the research division of The Viyug. He holds a Master of Arts (MA) in Politics and International Relations from Pondicherry University. He completed Bachelor’s degree in Political Science from CHRIST (Deemed to be University).

Gnaneswar Reddy holds a Bachelor of Arts (BA) in triple major in Political Science, History, and Economics from CHRIST (Deemed to be University). Having qualified for UPSC Prelims in 2022, Reddy’s knowledge spans contemporary Asian History till cultural identities. He has a passion for simplifying geopolitics and foreign affairs. He gained experience from working with United Service Institution (USI), India and as an Intern at Chennai Centre for China Studies (C3S).

Related Posts

Featured Image

The Group of Seven is the new Saviour of Africa

Group of Seven (G7) is an informal grouping of advanced democracies (Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, United Kingdom and the United States) that meets annually to coordinate global economic policy and address other transnational issues. The G7 plays a significant role in global governance, as its member countries are among the world’s largest economies and have a substantial impact on international relations. The G7’s engagement in Africa is crucial for sustainable development, as the continent faces numerous challenges, including poverty, climate change, and security threats.

Featured Image

To what extent has North Korea achieved Economic Liberalisation?

North Korea has a communist style of governance, and the role of market allocation schemes is limited. Basically, the country has a centrally planned economy with a total GDP of nearly 20 billion USD. It was expected to reach 21.24 USD billion by the end of 2023 and 25.06 USD billion in 2024. Comparably, North Korea’s GDP is 57 times smaller than that of South Korea’s GDP. The Gross Value Added (GVA) of the country is dominated by agriculture, followed by the manufacturing and construction sectors. North Korea had a similar GDP to its neighbour from the time of the Korean War until of mid-1970s. However, estimating the isolated nation’s GDP is actually a difficult task because of the lack of availability of data.

Featured Image

Maldives’ Growing Proximity with China: Gain or Loss for India?

Since Mohamed Muizu became the elected president of the Maldives in September 2023, a series of anti-India sentiments has been sweeping the country. Evidently, the allegiance of President Muizzu’s clearly lies in China. President Muizzu has earlier given the deadline for withdrawing Indian troops from the country, which will be an eventual move, accepted by India. A few days earlier, the two maritime neighbourhood countries got into a spat after a reference from a Maldivian minister to call India a ‘bully’ of the smaller countries of the region. New Delhi reacted by reminding the amount of aid, $4.5 billion, that the Maldives accepts from India.

Please Login to Comment.