FALL OUT

2014 - Sharif Under Pressure

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Dual Challenges

Terrorism and political unrest

2014 - Nawaz Sharif’s government faced two major threats to its survival

2014 - Imran Khan challenged the Sharif government over election fraud allegations

Election Fraud Protest

Khan focused on electoral irregularities, especially in four constituencies, and demanded vote recounts and fingerprint verification of voters. For him, this was both a political and personal necessity regarding an election he firmly believed he had won.

2. Ultimatum to the Government

He gave Sharif's government one month to address the allegations of election fraud.

3. Call for a March

Khan announced that a protest march toward the capital would be held on Pakistan's Independence Day. The choice of this date, with its symbolic importance, aimed to evoke the ideals of change and freedom.

2016 - Sharif's Government Faces Two Major Crises

2016 - Army Leadership Changes Hands

Transitional Sentence

Sharif's disqualification prepared the political stage for the rise and strengthening of his main rival, Imran Khan.

،2018 - Imran Khan’s Rise and the Hybrid Government

2018 - Election Victory with Military Support

2018 - Imran Khan Finally Wins the Election

The victory was widely linked to support from powerful forces.

The First Hundred Days

Challenges of governance and the economy.

Weak Ministerial Performance

Most cabinet ministers, in power for the first time, appeared inexperienced and unable to meet the demands of their roles.

Economic Crisis

The country’s economy was struggling with deep problems, including a sharp fall in the national currency and rising inflation, directly affecting ordinary people’s lives.

Public Criticism

The government’s poor performance and failure to fulfill promises quickly led to rising criticism and public disappointment, even among his staunch supporters.

2019 - Extension of General Bajwa’s Command

Imran Khan decided to extend General Bajwa’s term as army chief for another three years.

Start of the Rift

From support to disagreement.

2022 - The Cipher Affair

At a public rally, Imran Khan claimed that a foreign conspiracy, backed by domestic actors, was underway to overthrow his government. He pulled a letter from his pocket, waved it in the air, and said it was evidence of a threatening message from a foreign country.

Visit to Moscow

Khan’s controversial visit to Moscow, exactly as Russia invaded Ukraine, raised serious concerns in Western capitals and further strained his government’s already cold relations with the Biden administration in the United States.

Transition

This deep rift set the stage for the sudden end of his rule and the start of a period of direct confrontation.

2022-2023 - Downfall

Khan’s confrontation with the state

2022 - Removal by No-Confidence Vote

Imran Khan was removed from power through a parliamentary no-confidence vote.

May 9 Incidents

Attacks on military installations

2023 - After Imran Khan's arrest, his supporters poured into the streets in an unprecedented way and...

Attack on Military Headquarters

Protesters attacked the General Headquarters of the army in Rawalpindi and the Lahore corps commander's residence. The scenes were unbelievable; protesters looted decorative items and chilled strawberries from the kitchen, and one person even took a peacock with him, ultimately setting the building on fire.

Severe Government Response

The government responded with a sweeping crackdown on Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI). Thousands of party supporters were arrested, including elite figures such as Khadija Shah, the granddaughter of a former army commander. The army leadership turned her case into a "litmus test" to show that even someone from...

PTI Leaders Resign

Under intense pressure, many senior party leaders resigned from their positions and even from the party itself; an event Imran Khan called a "forced divorce."

2023 - Imran Khan was arrested again and transferred to the notorious Attock Jail. His first nights in a...