While Field Marshal Munir may currently hold the reins of power, Imran Khan continues to shape Pakistan’s political future from behind bars.
Imran Khan calls for nationwide protests amid rising tensions
This week, Khan called for nationwide agitation following the 10th of Muharram, aiming to revive mass mobilisation at a time when Munir’s institutional authority is at its peak. The call comes amid widespread public frustration over inflation, repression, and perceptions that the political system has been engineered to sideline the electorate’s will.
Munir’s diplomatic efforts and US engagement
Two weeks ago, Munir held a discreet meeting with then-US President Donald Trump at the White House, diplomatic sources confirmed. According to insiders, discussions focused on Khan’s fate and Pakistan’s internal stability, especially in light of pressure from the overseas Pakistani diaspora.
Supreme Court ruling shifts parliamentary power balance
Shortly after, the Supreme Court awarded Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) reserved seats to the ruling coalition of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), granting it a two-thirds supermajority in parliament. Critics have described this legal ruling as effectively nullifying the popular mandate from the February 2024 general elections. A senior legal analyst described the development as “political elimination through judicial procedure” and added, “The system was rewritten to fit the result.”
PTI’s political campaign shifts abroad
While Munir continues diplomatic visits to Washington, Riyadh, and Beijing as Pakistan’s stabilising envoy, PTI’s political activities have moved abroad. The party’s campaign is now led by an extensive online volunteer network based in the UK, North America, and the Gulf. A PTI organiser in Birmingham said, “You can erase a party from parliament, but not from memory. We’ve made the diaspora the movement’s backbone.”The PTI sustains its message of injustice, censorship, and a stolen mandate through platforms such as YouTube, Telegram, and X, forming a digital frontline that challenges state control.
Munir’s international stature contrasted with domestic volatility
Despite Munir’s growing global stature through high-profile diplomatic engagements, experts caution that this may mask underlying instability. History shows that past military rulers of Pakistan, including Ayub Khan, Zia-ul-Haq, and Pervez Musharraf, enjoyed international legitimacy at their peak but were eventually undone by domestic dissent.
With Khan’s call for post-Muharram protests and increasing economic hardship fueling political discontent, Munir’s control over the state may soon face significant challenges. Analysts warn that what appears as consolidation could unravel if public anger exceeds the system’s ability to manage it.
Political power concentrated between Munir and Khan
The civilian government led by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif lacks real authority, leaving the principal contest between Munir, who has unrivalled institutional control, and Khan, whose public support remains unbroken despite imprisonment.
(With inputs from PTI)
