The former prime minister’s rallies have proved unexpectedly successful
Save time by listening to our audio articles as you multitaskBy-elections in Punjab province on July 17th delivered the answer. Mr Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party won 15 of the 20 seats that were up for grabs, regaining control of the provincial assembly. That was unexpected. Punjab, Pakistan’s most populous province, is the country’s political centre of gravity. It is also the power base of Mr Khan’s successor, Shehbaz Sharif, and his Pakistan Muslim League party.
Polling shows that Mr Khan is a particular hit with Pakistan’s educated, digitally literate youth. For many of them, therepresents a corrupt old guard who are holding the country back. Given that two-fifths of the electorate are between 18 and 30, this gives Mr Khan a huge advantage, says Bilal Ghani of Gallup, a pollster.
Mr Sharif’s defeat in Punjab will increase tensions in his national coalition, which brings together an improbable range of politicians from the left to the religious right. They are likely to disagree over whether to hold an early election. Some in his own party are mumbling that only Mr Sharif’s elder brother, thrice-elected prime minister Nawaz Sharif, currently in exile in London, can save the day.. Mr Khan won in 2018 as the generals’ favourite.
The drubbing which the Sharif clan received in Punjab may not automatically translate into similar losses in a putative general election. Shaken out of its complacency, themay try to mobilise its vote more vigorously, especially if the stakes are higher. Mr Sharif, who clearly appreciates the seriousness of the threat, says he wants Mr Khan’s political finances investigated. The fight to shake off his persistent opponent will only get dirtier.
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