Whither Pakistan? A Conversation with Imran Khan

On January 13, the Atlantic Council’s South Asia Center held a video-teleconference with Imran Khan, founder of the Tehreek-e-Insaaf Party.

Imran Khan, Pakistan’s World Cup-winning cricket captain has been the leader and voice of the Tehreek-e-Insaaf Party for the past fifteen years. He has been a vocal critic of Pakistan’s perceived corrupt political system and is being seen by many as a transformational and clean politician who can reform the current system.

Pakistan’s current political scene is in a state of flux, as the ruling Pakistan People’s Party heads a weak and sometimes fractious coalition. The recent speculation of the army staging a silent coup while President Asif Ali Zardari recovered from a stroke has only deepened speculation and emboldened opposition parties to challenge the current government. Mr. Khan and the Tehreek-e-Insaaf Party have managed to gain momentum and stage rallies in key cities that have attracted over hundreds of thousands of supporters.

With early general elections being forecasted for later this year, will Mr. Khan have enough time to mount a successful challenge to the status quo in Pakistani politics? How does he view the Pakistani Taliban and their Afghan Counterparts? The video conference featured how Khan plans to handle the internal militancy, Pakistan’s relations with its neighbors and the United States, and the military’s influence in Pakistan’s polity.

Featuring

Imran Khan
Founder
Tehreek-e-Insaaf (Movement for Justice) Party

Moderated by

Shuja Nawaz
Director, South Asia Center
Atlantic Council 

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