Ousted Pakistan PM Imran Khan to Hold Rally

Imran Khan will hold a public rally in Lahore today in disapproval of his eviction from Pakistan’s ruling government on April 10. Shehbaz Sharif of the Pakistani Peoples Party (PPP) replaced Khan on April 11.

Khan’s focus today is to reinforce a narrative against Sharif and the “foreign conspiracies” which he believes were perpetuated by the PPP and the US government. Khan claims the diplomatic sore spot regarding his visit to Moscow days before the Invasion of Ukraine furthered his eviction alongside the no-confidence vote. Today’s gathering is intended to heighten the political pressure on the PPP and encourage a fast tracking of the 2023 general election.

As the Sharif family and President Biden share history, expect the newly elected Prime Minister to improve the US-Pakistan relationship. Given Pakistan’s unique geopolitical position in Southeast Asia and its relations between US and Russia, expect Sharif to implement balancing policies like trade declarations and diplomatic meetings to result. Even though Pakistan’s concerning macroeconomic situation will apply economic pressure on the incumbent government, expect Imran Khan to host added public gatherings in the short-term. Internal political instability may drive Sharif to negotiate closer to Pakistan’s military as tensions simmer between US and Russia.