Jessica Perez-Salinas, Staff Writer

The Events

On Nov. 25, around a thousand protestors headed towards Islamabad, the capital city of Pakistan. These protestors were led by Bushra Bibi, the wife of former Prime Minister, Imran Khan. Protestors called for the release of Khan, who has been imprisoned since last year, a move he believes has been politically motivated. Protestors rallied at the capital for two days, defying a two-month state ban on public gatherings. There have been conflicting reports about casualties and injuries sustained by both parties. The government has reported that six soldiers were killed, claiming they occurred while encountering protesters. The government has called these protests an act of extreme terrorism and argued that the protestors have used excessive force that led to the death of the soldiers. The protestors have claimed two casualties and over 30 injured. However, reports vary, and many news outlets have been unable to gather a true count of casualties. Al Jazeera and Reuters have both reiterated the claims that two protestors were killed. Violent force was used by the Pakistani government including tear gas and live ammunition to settle the protests. The protestors allege that they were preparing for a sit-in and intended to peacefully protest until the government fired back at them. 

How it Started

The man at the center of this and one of Pakistan’s most controversial figures is Imran Khan. Khan served as the Prime Minister of Pakistan between 2018-2022, before being removed through a vote of no-confidence. In 1996, Khan founded the political party Pakistan Tehree-e-Insaf (PTI), which is a center-right party that aimed to focus on corruption and the establishment of an Islamic Welfare State. Many of his supporters are among the younger generation and those who were dissatisfied with the other major parties. 

During his term as Prime Minister, Khan was tasked with solving extreme economic challenges such as Pakistan’s severe debt, which only worsened with the COVID-19 pandemic. He instituted various austerity policies that restricted government spending but led to increased savings in the Pakistani economy. However, economic hardship plagued many Pakistanis as inflation continued to rise and essentials became more difficult to purchase. Furthermore, Khan and the military had a strained relationship that worsened due to conflicting opinions on foreign policy. All these factors further fueled the growing sentiment that his government was failing. As a result, former allies and oppositional parties decided to hold a vote of no confidence that removed him from office. Since then, political turmoil has risen between his supporters and the opposition. 

In August 2023, Khan was arrested and charged with various counts including corruption and for selling state possessions. He has also since been charged with anti-terrorism as a result of the protests that erupted after his arrest. His wife was also arrested and jailed for eight months under similar charges of corruption and was recently released on bail this past October. Khan has argued that his imprisonment has been politically motivated and has urged supporters to rally behind bars.

Now

Arrest warrants have been issued for dozens of protestors including many prominent leaders in the PTI and Bibi. This protest follows three other major protests, all calling for the release of Khan and have questioned the validity of the recent election. In February, the general elections were held where Nawaz Sharif won as Prime Minister, a member of one of the leading opposition parties. The PTI won the plurality of the votes but did not garner a majority. The PTI has claimed that this was due to government interference which included not allowing them to run with their party logo and restrictions on media leading up to the election. Khan has expressed his support for protestors and for his wife through X, who has yet to reappear since the protests were dissolved. For now, the future remains unclear. These protests have put a strain on Pakistanis and there are doubts arising within the party about the effectiveness of these protests. Despite this, many supporters believe that Khan’s release is essential to the establishment of democracy in Pakistan.