• Khan’s politically motivated arrest exposes corruption and military and foreign influence in Pakistan’s judiciary.
• Pakistan continues to struggle to escape the grip of dynastic politics.
We learned earlier today that former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan has been egregiously sentenced to fourteen years in prison. His wife Bushra Bibi has been sentenced to seven years in prison. The nation’s hero, cricket superstar-turned-politician, who has been in detention since August 2023, faces over 100 cases, including allegations of leaking state secrets and selling state gifts, all of which critics have dismissed as being politically motivated.
Imran Khan’s unjust imprisonment has been rooted in political vendetta rather than genuine legal proceedings. It has been argued that his detention is an attempt to silence a formidable opposition leader. It is interesting to note that he is the first Pakistani leader who has refused for America to meddle in Pakistan’s affairs. Furthermore, to this day, Khan refuses to kowtow to any deals that would compromise his unwavering stance against corruption.
Allegations of misconduct against him have been manoeuvres designed to dismantle his influence and undermine his party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI). The circumstances surrounding his arrest last year raise serious questions about the integrity of the judicial system and to what extent it is manipulated by the Pakistani Army and American interests, enabling the Sharif family to maintain their corrupt regime.
Nepotism Continues to Thrive
Pakistan’s political elite is dynastic, a tightly-knit circle of society’s influential figures, known more for their surnames rather than their accomplishments, demonstrated competence or merit. Historically, Pakistan’s political parties have been feudal in nature, lacking transparency and thriving on nepotism. The Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) has seen power passed from father to daughter, while the Pakistan Muslim League (PML-N) has been dominated by the Sharif family to the point where the party is named the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz. This dynasty has run the country and the party as a personal fiefdom. Nawaz Sharif held power, followed by Shahbaz Sharif’s turn at leadership, while Maryam Nawaz (Nawaz’s daughter) currently serves as the Chief Minister of Punjab, consolidating the family’s grip on power.
Imran Khan, on the other hand, distinguished himself as the first leader to expose the moral and financial corruption of such figures and to challenge foreign interference. He has emerged as the most significant Pan-Islamist political figure in Pakistan since Zia-ul-Haq, advocating for Kashmir and Palestine. However, he has overlooked the plight of Uyghur Muslims, likely to avoid jeopardising Pakistan’s longstanding relationship with China.
The Celebrity Status of Politics in Pakistan
If you’ve ever encountered a Pakistani uncle anywhere on Allah’s green earth, you will be familiar with their propensity to engage in discussions about Pakistani politics. They like it. No. In fact, they love it! Your Maamoo and chacha will happily engage in lively dinner-table debates, attempting to solve Pakistan’s problems. Politicians in Pakistan have become bona fide celebrities and heroes, with the likes of Ali Amin Gandapur. And then there’s the circus of news channels such as ARY Digital and Geo, where whoever shouts the loudest is the winner. These prominent news channels invite panel guests from acting and opposing parties to lambast one another. It’s ruthless!— hurling personal insults is also fair game in the world of gutter Pakistani politics.
Let’s park that there for a second.
I was recently at my local halal butchers when I overheard a conversation between two uncles who were busy grinding the keema I was planning to take home, “Oh chadh yaar! Nawaz Sharif ne enniyah sarka banayah nain!,” one uncle said to the other.
It’s true, Nawaz Sharif oversaw the construction of some highways in Pakistan—but that was some 15 years ago. Furthermore, is that enough to justify continued support for such a fraudulent regime? While mass poverty plagues the country, loyalists of the Sharif family remain steadfast in supporting a dynastic political party riddled with corruption— a political party who continue to spend the nation’s wealth on personal interests and further contribute to the economic crisis of the country. Perhaps it is the loyalists, easily swayed by influence, and the army’s overwhelming power that have obstructed any hope for change in the country?
However, despite politics being the dominant culture, why has no change occurred? Rally after rally, protest after protest. Moreover, the Islamabad massacre and cover-up on November 26th last year, where peaceful protestors were ambushed and killed by the military, followed by efforts to erase evidence and silence witnesses.
If our Bengali Brothers and Sisters Achieved Victory why Hasn’t Pakistan?
Last year in August, against a backdrop of deadly student-led protests, Bangladesh’s prime minister Sheikh Hasina resigned her position, bringing to a close a political dynasty that stretched back to Bangladesh’s founding. This action prompted many Pakistani students to emulate the actions of the Bangladeshis and take to the streets in a bid to overthrow the Sharif dynasty. However, the Pakistanis could not achieve the same desired outcome as their Bangladeshi brothers and sisters. Unfortunately, unlike Bangladesh, Pakistan is firmly under American influence, with a powerful military supporting the Sharif family, leading many to believe that financial gain and cover-ups are at the heart of this alignment.
Pakistan Ka Matlab Kya?
Translation: What does Pakistan mean? This iconic question was once asked and answered by Mohammed Ali Jinna: La illaha illallah!, he replied: (There is no God but Allah). This statement subsequently reverberated the streets of Pakistan at Imran Khan rally’s.
The esteemed Pakistani scholar, the late Dr. Israr Ahmed (May Allah have mercy on him), frequently addressed the condition of Pakistan, emphasising its immense potential to emerge as a leader of the ummah and a champion of Islam. Moreover, he lamented Pakistan’s squandering of its tremendous potential.
Dr Israr Ahmed said:
“…But we were supposed to show the world about Islam. Pakistan was envisioned for so much more. Perhaps, in time, Allah will forgive us for our sins, like the people of Yunus AS, and Pakistan will embody true Islam one day."
It is truly disheartening that Pakistan, a state founded on Islamic principles, has failed to prioritise the welfare of its people. Moreover, it has not contributed meaningfully to the broader ummah or served as a pioneer for Muslims. Instead, it remains stagnant in its subservience to the West and has yet to break free from the grip of political dynasties.
In what manner can Pakistan exemplify Jinnah’s vision as a trailblazer for the ummah if it persistently grapples with internal issues and succumbs to external pressures, particularly from America?
The question arises: Have the principles championed by the visionary Muhammad Ali Jinnah— for Muslims in the subcontinent—truly been established in Pakistan?
As Muslims it is imperative to speak out against injustice even if it is against ourselves, Allah says in the Qur’an in Surah An-Nisa (4:135):
"O you who have believed, be persistently standing firm in justice, witnesses for Allah, even if it be against yourselves. So follow not [personal] inclination, lest you not be just. And if you distort [your testimony] or refuse [to give it], then indeed Allah is ever, with what you do, Acquainted."
