A Bad System Will Beat A Good Person Every Time: Reflections on the resignation of Imran Khan

Hearing that Imran Khan had resigned as Prime Minister and that Shehbaz Sharif was set to replace him was a punch in the gut to Pakistanis like me that believed in Khan’s vision to revolutionise the country and create a ‘Naya Pakistan’.

I remember the euphoria on the day of the election in 2018 when it appeared Imran Khan was going to win. Having seen him campaigning on TV for as long as I could remember, I never thought I’d see the day he actually was voted into power. His promises to make corrupt ex-leaders pay for their actions and vows to create a more equal Pakistan meant he had one currency no other party could campaign with – hope.

As an ‘overseas Pakistani’, I felt a shift when Khan became PM as for the first time, non-Pakistanis were telling me how they admired my PM as a leader and that Pakistan was lucky to have him. Khan’s continual condemnation of Israel’s aggressive actions against Palestinians; his advocacy for Kashmiris who are being oppressed by Indian forces; his campaigning to bring awareness for Islamophobia worldwide – finally made me feel like the Muslim world had a voice, one that would represent them on the world stage. (Although closer ties with China has prevented him from speaking about the ethnic cleansing of the Uighurs.)

However, Khan’s domestic premiership has been much more troubled. The most consistent complaint lodged against the PM has been the rising cost of living in Pakistan. However, having inherited a country that has been plundered by previous politicians, trying to set things right would have taken much longer than the four years Khan was given. To add to his troubles, Khan has had to lead the country through the pandemic which has caused a rise in inflation around the world. The rising cost of living can perhaps be linked to Khan’s implementation of levies and higher taxes but this issue is by no means unique to Pakistan. Furthermore, finance is needed to implement greater social welfare which was a major aim of Khan’s ‘Naya Pakistan’ and short-term sacrifices are needed for long-term gain.

In refusing to compromise his morals, Khan has undoubtedly isolated a lot of people who now joined his opposition. The prospect of another corrupt leader replacing Khan and having no commitment to making improvements to the country or its people is perhaps the most gutting thing to come from the events of the last few days. It shows that morals and success can’t exist together in a system that is rigged to benefit the rich and powerful, which serves only to make them more rich and powerful. Imran Khan was far from a perfect leader but at the core of his leadership, there was always a willingness to do good. The assembling of numerous politicians from different parties to take Khan’s government down shows just how threatening his vision for a more equal, stronger, and independent Pakistan was – to people (and governments) at home and abroad.