Khan said Early Thursday in the capital Islamabad, he said would be the “biggest ever demonstration” in the country’s history, after protesters clashed with security staff and he was forced to cut off event.
But his announcement came with a warning: “I give this importing government six days to announce new elections. Otherwise, I will re-enter Islamabad with 2 million people.”
Cries of support and chants of outrage against the United States and the current Pakistani government, echoed through the crowd.
The statements have shaken a young population in a country where anti-American sentiment is widespread and anti-establishment sentiment is being fueled by a rising cost of living crisis.
But Khan’s critics say there’s a problem with his claims: there’s no evidence of a conspiracy.
“Imran Khan is trying to exploit anti-American sentiments to mobilize support,” said Maleeha Lodhi, a former Pakistani ambassador to the US and the United Nations. Khan “band of loyal supporters [are] willing to dismiss the facts and believe in his foreign conspiracy narrative despite not having a shred of evidence to back it up. ”
The aim was clear, Lodhi said: Khan sees playing along with decades-long grudges as his route back to power.
What are Khan’s conspiracy statements?
Khan told CNN on Monday that Lu had threatened Pakistan to “bear the consequences” unless he was fired.
“There is no truth to these allegations,” a State Department spokesman told CNN, previously denying any involvement in Khan’s ouster.
When asked to provide evidence for his claim, Khan said there were note-takers on both the US and Pakistani sides at the meeting, but did not respond directly when asked if he had made any notes public. unclean or not – for each allegation.
He also told evidence that a cipher – an encrypted diplomatic cable – outlining the details of the meeting sent from the Pakistani ambassador had been passed on to the Pakistani cabinet. Khan claims he submitted the minutes from that meeting to Pakistan’s National Security Council (NSC).
The NSC last month staunchly denied Khan’s allegations, saying in a statement that it “found no evidence of any conspiracy.”
Mr. Khan also said he knew that his official visit to Moscow in late February, coinciding with Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, could make US officials feel nervous.
Khan has also previously accused the Pakistani military and the opposition led by current Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif of conspiring with the US, both of which deny.
Khan said: “People are extremely angry and offended that these criminals have been stalking us.
The History of Doubt
To understand how even the most flimsy conspiracy theories can prove such a powerful rallying tool in this South Asian democracy of 220 million people, experts point out that distrust each other has gone up in smoke for decades.
It was a remarkable period that spanned the wars on the doorstep of Pakistan, perceived betrayal, special forces operations, and rogue CIA contractors. Against this backdrop, according to Islamabad-based political analyst Hussain Nadim, “foreign conspiracies don’t sound so outlandish.”
In fact, they are “reliable,” he said.
Much of the suspicion stems from events in neighboring Afghanistan, where many Pakistanis blame US actions for destabilizing their country – including attacks by Afghan militants. on Pakistani soil.
Flashing into Pakistani minds the chaotic scenes of Afghans, desperate to escape the advancing Taliban, clinging to the wheel of a plane that took off from Kabul airport in August 2021. And when the security situation deteriorated. go, many Pakistanis feel it is they who will pay the price.
While Pakistan soon signed up for George W. Bush’s “war on terror,” many in the Muslim-majority country viewed the invasion – and the subsequent war in Iraq – as aimed at Islam. teacher.
He was charged with murder and unlawful possession of a firearm, but was acquitted after more than $2 million in restitution was paid to the victim’s family. The incident increased tensions between the two nations, with Congress warning Pakistani leaders that billions of dollars in US aid could be at stake if not Davis’ release.
According to Hassan Kamal Wattoo, a lawyer and columnist in Islamabad, such events have caused “irreparable damage to the belief that shadow figures are conspiring against Pakistan since the dawn of time. distant.”
‘Blind faith’
Now that he’s looking to return to power, Khan is looking for a familiar tool to rally support, said Madiha Afzal, a foreign policy expert at the Brookings Institution.
“This is part of a long history of conspiracy theories that are being played out in Pakistan, especially about the role of the West in the country,” she said.
“That’s what his supporters blindly believe in.”
Khan’s stellar cricket career has ensured his enduring appeal to voters. Standing on a wave of popular support, he was elected four years ago with a promise to eradicate poverty and corruption and build a “new Pakistan”.
According to Afzal of the Brookings Institution, Khan’s supporters were drawn to the former prime minister’s argument that it was the corruption of the traditional parties “that ruled Pakistan for much of the democratic era that was at the root of the political parties.” Pakistan’s problem.”
According to former ambassador Lodhi, there is now a “wave of sympathy for Khan” because of the way he was ousted.
And Wattoo, the attorney, said Khan’s supporters see him as a “fearless, extremely independent alternative to a more conventional political elite.”
What happens next?
It remains unclear whether that support will be enough to bring Khan back to power. But what seems clear is that, over a month in power, the government of Shehbaz Sharif has done little to deal with the rising inflation and growing economic crisis that contributed to Khan’s ouster.
While the government on Thursday lifted the fuel price cap, this would allow for a much-needed deal with the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Karachi-based financial journalist Ariba Shahid said. knowing the power struggle only makes things harder. .
“This need for political influence is driving Pakistan’s long-term average inflation, a rapid depreciation of the rupee and ultimately larger taxes to make up for the large deficit,” she said.
Meanwhile, Khan’s popularity has “risen to unprecedented heights,” said political analyst Nadim.
For his supporters – mostly young, middle-class and tired of corruption and political class – Khan remains the obvious choice as the country’s leader.
“(His overthrow) made him a victim and made him a political tragedy,” Nadim said, adding that they were “two very powerful emotions” created public support for Khan.
