The cricketer, who once led a team famous for mastering the art of reverse swing, found himself run out this weekend after being ousted from power as Pakistan’s prime minister. Of the 342 members of its National Assembly, 174 asked Imran Khan to leave, while his party fought only weakly for him. Since he had tried to break the rules in order to remain in office, his expulsion was deserved. The envy he expressed about India’s foreign policy should have included democratic processes as well.
Leader of the Opposition Shahbaz Sharif, younger brother of three-time PM Nawaz Sharif, may replace Khan. The brothers are seen as aligned on relations with China and India, but differ on one key issue, their party’s military ties, which explains why the former chief minister of Punjab province has a chance. With Pakistan’s economy collapsing, foreign policy in the eyes of the US and assembly elections due this year, it is leaning towards a policy gamble that its people must be duly informed of the policies of both Beijing and Washington. Whatever the color of the ideology, command models are generally not rich.
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