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When Pakistan’s government censored the media, former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s party posted election campaign videos on TikTok. When police banned his supporters from holding rallies, they hosted virtual rallies online.
And when Mr. Khan ended up in prison, his supporters used artificial intelligence to simulate his voice and create a speech.
Khan’s message resonated with millions of people across the country who were dissatisfied with the country’s economic crisis and old political dynasties. Khan explained that Pakistan has been in steep decline for decades and only he can restore it to its former greatness.
The success of candidates aligned with Mr. Khan’s party in last week’s elections, which won more seats in parliament than any other candidate, was a stunning disruption to Pakistani politics. Since Mr. Khan clashed with the country’s generals and was ousted by parliament in 2022, his supporters have faced a military-led crackdown that experts say could alienate the former prime minister. It is pointed out that this is the intended purpose.
His success marked the first time in Pakistan’s recent history that a political strategy used by the country’s powerful military for decades to maintain its grip on power suddenly went off course. It also demonstrated Khan’s populist rhetoric and how the country’s internet-savvy youth population has swelled. Pakistan, a nuclear-armed state with a population of 240 million that has struggled with military coups since its founding 76 years ago, is rewriting politics.
Now, Pakistan is venturing into uncharted territory as the parties of Mr. Khan and three-time former prime minister Nawaz Sharif compete to win other MPs and form a coalition government. If Mr. Khan’s party succeeds (though many analysts think such an outcome is unlikely), a civilian government could be created by a party that is at odds with the military and whose leaders are in prison. This is the first time in Pakistan’s history that the
Adam Weinstein, deputy director of the Middle East program at the Quincy Institute, a Washington-based think tank, said that regardless of the outcome, Mr. Khan’s party is “capitalizing on the grievances of Pakistan’s youth and remains a strong political presence.” We have proven that.” “Old strategies for shaping national politics are outdated. Social media and youth mobilization have become game changers.”
For about half of Pakistan’s history, the military has ruled the country directly. If a civilian government is allowed to form, it will be led by a small group of leaders, including Mr. Sharif, Mr. Khan’s rival in this election, and usually come to power with support from generals. there was.
These military-aligned leaders built political parties around family dynasties, handed down party leadership from generation to generation, and kept political power within a tight circle. But in recent years, the country’s young population has swelled to about half of voters, and analysts say dissatisfaction with the system is growing.
Zaigham Khan, an Islamabad-based political analyst, said young people feel excluded from Pakistan’s political system because “someone in the family always gets the top slot.” “Old parties are becoming obsolete because they refuse to change, and that has created a vacuum for figures like Imran Khan.”
Khan initially rose to political prominence with military aid, but after his ouster he used young people’s yearning for change to strengthen his political base independent of the generals. His party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), has run political campaigns on social media outside the reach of state censorship, which young people say has inspired a political awakening in their generation. claims.
In a video that went viral online, Khan blamed the generals for his ouster in 2022. Mr. Khan described how the military operates like a “deep state,” governing politics behind the scenes, and claimed the United States: colluded with Pakistani officials in removing him from power; He described himself as a reformer who brought about change.
His message encouraged young people across the country.
“I’m voting for change. I’m fed up with the whole system of political parties that have been running this country,” he said while standing outside a polling station in Lahore on Thursday after voting for a PTI candidate. Usman Saeed said. “They put Imran Khan in jail and that is the main problem. This shows that everything is controlled by the establishment,” he added, referring to the military.
Few of these voters remembered the frustration of Mr. Khan’s final months in office, when his popularity plummeted as inflation soared. Many analysts said his party likely would not have won the next general election had he been allowed to complete his term.
But even after his ouster, the country’s military leaders appear to have underestimated the country’s changing political landscape. When Mr. Khan returned politically, his generals turned to an old strategy to sideline him.
Authorities accused Khan of dozens of charges, resulting in four sentences totaling 34 years in prison. They arrested hundreds of his supporters and, for the first time, cast a wider net, going after the country’s elite, including Pakistanis with close ties to the military itself.
The intimidation campaign appears to have only strengthened support for Mr. Khan. The crackdown was widely publicized on social media, leading more people to expose and oppose the military’s heavy influence over politics. Many people who voted for Mr Khan’s party last week said they did so simply to anger the generals.
The political race to form a new government is now looming over widespread allegations of vote tampering by the military and efforts to challenge dozens of results the military allegedly rigged. Mr Khan’s party has promised a long and painful legal battle. On Sunday, thousands of Mr. Khan’s supporters took to the streets across the country to express their anger over allegations of election fraud, with protests met with batons and tear gas.
“PTI is a peaceful party that led the revolution through voting,” said Hammad Azhar, leader of Punjab province, in a platform known as X. “We will not allow our struggle to be hijacked by nefarious plans.” said.
The political showdown has endangered the country, which has a history of military coups and large-scale riots. Despite the election results, which showed how many Pakistanis reject the country’s broken political system, Pakistan is still not moving towards greater stability or stronger democracy. Most people are in agreement.
“Even if the balance of power is tilted in favor of political parties, will they actually act democratically?” said Bilal Gilani, executive director of Gallup Pakistan. “Or will they become more fascist in their ideology? Will they eliminate people who don’t vote for them? That’s the question now.”
Zia Ur Rehman Contributed to the report.
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