Imran Khan’s ‘big lies’ are loud and repeated with such fervour that even his detractors are compelled to take them as truths. But at the same time, he does not acknowledge that as time passes, his lies may lose appeal and the whipped up sentiment among his followers may faze out. No wonder he wants elections to be held in the shortest possible period. On the other side, however, the new government does not intend to hold elections before the spring of 2023.
Since the ISPR declared that Khan’s claim of the US conspiracy is false, he has nothing worthwhile to sell to his followers. Will he imitate Donald Trump and keep repeating false claims till even his detractors believe him.
If the military establishment booted Khan out, it should be held responsible for booting him in as well in the 2018 elections. Whatever the background for his ignominious ouster, it cannot be denied that he has gone down most infamously into history as the only PM of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan to be ousted through a vote of no confidence in the National Assembly. Two of his predecessors faced such a vote in the Assembly, but survived.
Pakistan is no Venezuala or Turkey, and Imran Khan is no Maduro or Erdogan. If the US doesn’t want him, he will never be able to get a second stint. Period.
An important question to ask is if Khan will make it back into power. Despite the fact that the ISPR is now on record for holding Khan’s US conspiracy narrative as false, and the recent NSC statement not containing any mention of a foreign-funded conspiracy, Imran Khan's entire political future hangs in balance and is solely linked to this conspiracy narrative.
Based on his dismal handling of the country's economy and foreign relations, in not delivering relief to the hapless, in not fulfilling myriad of his pre-election promises and his U-turns, he has nothing to offer to his followers -- followers whose numbers in rallies are comically magnified and are less than that during the pre-2018 election period.
The US factor cannot be disregarded. Pakistan is no Venezuala or Turkey, and Imran Khan is no Maduro or Erdogan. If the US doesn’t want him, he will never be able to get a second stint. Period. This is a harsh and bitter reality his supporters must grapple with.