logo
episode-header-image
Sep 2022
24m 17s

What next for Imran Khan?

Bbc World Service
About this episode

The former Pakistani prime minister, Imran Khan, is facing terrorism charges in Islamabad.

He was charged under Pakistan's stringent anti-terrorism laws for condemning Islamabad’s chief of police and a female judge, after claims his close political aide was arrested and tortured.

Since he lost power in April, he’s been addressing huge political rallies, where he’s told the crowds that he was brought down by a conspiracy organised by the current government, state powers, and the USA.

Most political analysts believe his rhetoric is a cynical ploy, but tens of thousands of his supporters believe it.

It’s the latest twist in his journey from superstar cricketer and socialite, to Islamist, populist statesman. But how did he climb to power, how did he lose it, and what could happen next?

Presenter: Tanya Beckett Producer: Ravi Naik Researcher: Christopher Blake Editor: Tara McDermott Technical Producer: Nicky Edwards Broadcast Coordinator: Jacqui Johnson

(Photo by SHAHZAIB AKBER/EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock)

Up next
Oct 27
Have national museums had their day?
The concept of the national museum which developed during the 18th and 19th Centuries coincided with the age of exploration, emerging science and empire building. The grand stone structures of these museums reflected a sense of national pride. They were places where members of th ... Show More
23m 52s
Oct 20
What can a new UN secretary-general achieve?
In January 2027, a new secretary-general will take the helm of the United Nations, an organisation founded on the principle of international cooperation. The role will involve navigating tensions between its most powerful members, while ensuring the UN can respond to global crise ... Show More
23m 56s
Oct 13
Is a deal on the Kuril Islands ever possible?
For decades Russia and Japan have been locked in a dispute over the Kuril Islands, which sit between Hokkaido in Northern Japan and Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula. At the end of World War Two, the island chain was annexed by the Soviet Union, who deported around 17,000 Japanese res ... Show More
23m 51s
Recommended Episodes
Mar 2023
Imran Khan: from cricket star to polarizing politician
Clashes erupted in Pakistan last week after police attempted to arrest former prime minister Imran Khan at his home in Lahore. The former cricket star turned politician was kicked out of parliament after a no-confidence vote last April, but that hasn't stopped Khan's political su ... Show More
26m 1s
Mar 2023
Imran Khan and Pakistan's political turmoil
Clashes this week between police and supporters of former cricketer-turned-Prime Minister, Imran Khan, show once again the deep divisions within Pakistani politics. Mr Khan was ousted as prime minister last April in a no-confidence vote but has kept up pressure on his successor, ... Show More
49m 24s
Jul 2018
Imran Khan’s challenges as Pakistan’s prime minister
Imran Khan, who entered politics in 1996 after retiring from international cricket, is on track to become Pakistan’s next prime minister after an election clouded with accusations of vote rigging. But with an economic crisis looming for the next government to tackle, will he be a ... Show More
10m 38s
Aug 2023
Imran Khan: Is Pakistan heading for political chaos?
Stephen Sackur speaks to the former prime minister of Pakistan, Imran Khan. He was ousted from power last year but thinks he can stage a comeback in elections scheduled for the autumn. Is Pakistan facing a period of political chaos? 
23m 28s
May 2023
Pakistan’s Power Struggle, w/ Junaid Ahmad
<p><b>Last April, Pakistan’s Imran Khan was ousted as Prime Minister, which he blamed on an American-backed coup due to his non-aligned foreign policy. His removal has been followed by political instability that continues to roil the country with some of the largest protests in P ... Show More
33m 3s