Imran Khan’s political influence in Pakistan endures through protests and disruption, rallying fervent support even from prison while dividing the nation between admiration and frustration.

Imran Khan, Pakistan’s former prime minister, has become a figure whose influence reverberates well beyond his role as a political leader, particularly among Pakistan’s youth. Known now as much for his street protests as his political speeches, Khan has maintained a striking presence in Pakistani politics, even behind bars. His rallies and calls for public disruption reflect a distinctive style that mixes resilience, protest, and calculated chaos, drawing fervent support and fierce criticism.

Khan’s trajectory from cricket legend to political firebrand took a decisive turn in 2014 with a 126-day sit-in protest in Islamabad. Leading his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party, Khan demanded an investigation into alleged vote rigging in the 2013 general elections, accusing the government of fraud. For over four months, Pakistan’s capital transformed into a battleground, with Khan’s supporters chanting anti-government slogans and clashing with police in efforts to breach the prime minister’s residence. That sit-in became a defining moment, marking the beginning of Khan’s reliance on disruptive politics to pressure those in power. This protest set the tone for his future approach, which would continue to shape his political journey.

By 2022, Khan found himself ousted from office through a vote of no confidence, a constitutional procedure he refused to accept quietly. He mobilized supporters nationwide, organizing rallies and blocking roads while accusing foreign entities of conspiring to remove him. In the process, the daily lives of Pakistanis struggling with economic hardship were further disrupted by road closures and business shutdowns. For Khan, these tactics served him well, just as they had in 2014, reinforcing his ability to stir mass mobilization, regardless of the collateral impact on ordinary citizens.

The unrest took a darker turn on May 9, 2023, when Khan’s arrest in a corruption case sparked an unprecedented wave of protests targeting government buildings, military installations, and public property. While Khan distanced himself from the ensuing violence, evidence suggests that the protests were coordinated by PTI leadership. This day’s events underscored a hard reality: the radicalized fervor of Khan’s supporters had deepened, even as he maintained his image as a peaceful opposition leader.

Khan’s arrest on August 5, 2023, marked another chapter in his political odyssey. Despite his imprisonment, he continued to rally his followers from behind bars, leveraging his influence to orchestrate protests aimed at stymying government operations. His supporters staged demonstrations during significant international events, including the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit, casting a shadow over Pakistan’s diplomatic initiatives. Even in detention, Khan’s ability to steer PTI’s actions demonstrates the depth of his sway over Pakistan’s political landscape.

While Khan champions himself as a democratic hero, the disruption caused by his tactics has sown frustration among the general population. Roadblocks disrupted businesses, and daily hardships weigh heavily on ordinary Pakistanis, caught between his supporters’ fervor and the broader populace’s discontent. Nonetheless, for his followers, Khan represents a defiant voice against what they perceive as a corrupt establishment.

His popularity has only intensified since his arrest, with many viewing him as a martyr for democracy. His continued hold on his supporters’ imaginations, even from a prison cell, is a testament to his enduring impact on Pakistan’s politics.

As Khan’s political strategies keep the nation on edge, Pakistan remains divided—between those who see him as inspiring and those who blame him for the country’s political and social instability. Whether his approach of agitation and disruption will translate into lasting reform or prolonged chaos is a question that lingers over Pakistan’s future. One thing is clear: Imran Khan’s story in Pakistani politics is far from over.

To his critics, Khan’s current tactics blur the line between dissent and disorder. While his loyalists see his fight as a stand for their rights, the broader public faces the realities of his unyielding opposition. The question now is whether Imran Khan will pivot toward a new, perhaps more constructive approach or if he will remain, both in spirit and strategy, the leader who thrives on chaos—even from behind bars.