What Imran Khan’s arrest means for Pakistan
VoxMay 09, 2023
Pakistan: Imran Khan Sentenced to 14 Years
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The Facts
On Wednesday, Pakistan's ex-Prime Minister Imran Khan received a 14-year prison term for corruption, adding to the 10 years he received the day before for allegedly leaking state secrets. The judge also barred Khan from holding political office for 10 years.
This marks the second time that the former prime minister has been convicted in the same corruption case — which accuses him of unlawfully selling state gifts — after he was sentenced to a three-year prison term in August. Khan, who denies the allegations, has appealed last summer's ruling.
The Spin
Pro-establishment narrative
Khan has been mired in controversy and scandals for years, and the mounting evidence is too much to ignore. Khan has used his power to subvert democracy, including his attempt to dissolve parliament to escape the no-confidence vote that ousted him. Now, he's using his platform to bring Pakistan to the brink of civil war. While Khan should be pursued legally for his wrongdoings, the government should be careful not to turn this political crisis into something worse.
Establishment-critical narrative
This is a sad day for Pakistan and democracy. Though Imran Khan is extremely popular among Pakistanis, global powers, particularly the US, want him removed from public life because he refuses to act as a puppet. Khan was wrongfully dismissed as prime minister in a coup, and now he is being jailed to ensure he never again represents the will of the people. For decades, Pakistani leaders the US doesn't like have conveniently been assassinated or imprisoned — Khan is just the latest victim.
Nerd narrative
There's a 47% chance Pakistan will experience a successful coup d'etat before 2040, according to the Metaculus prediction community.