The swearing in of Imran Khan as Prime Minister of Pakistan concludes a rare transition of power in a nation beset with divisions and challenges — and the legendary cricketer will indeed have to deliver from Day One in a field set up to test his political and economic abilities. Simply put, now, more than ever, Prime Minister Imran Khan will have to manage the expectations of so many who either view him as a political neophyte or as a figure of hope leading a party that defeated two of the country’s powerful political dynasties.
From now, the truly hard work of governing begins and how Imran handles his nation’s economy will determine his success more than anything else. To use a cricketing analogy: Pakistan’s new premier is in a limited-overs game and chasing a very high total. He has said the economy will be his main focus — and there is little time and room for manoeuvre. The country’s central bank is burning through reserves, the Pakistan rupee has been devalued, and its balance of payments gap is widening significantly. Islamabad has borrowed heavily for Chinese-led development megaprojects. With little room, there may be few alternatives to seek relief from the International Monetary Fund — a lender of the last resort that will exact a high price for what will likely be Pakistan’s second bailout since the new millennium.
While the security situation across Pakistan has improved, the new prime minister will need to ensure that the fight against extremists and terrorism will continue. Indeed, during the election campaign, terrorist elements within the country showed they retained the ability to orchestrate and execute coordinated murderous attacks.
There is the question too of what measures the new government will take when it comes to managing or curbing the country’s population growth — an issue that not only straddles Pakistan’s overstretched educational and health infrastructures, but also touches upon an inherently highly conservative society. Since 2015 alone, Pakistan’s population has increased by more than 11 million. How the central government will manage to ensure that there will be enough water for all in its five-year term will present a not insignificant challenge for Imran’s leadership.
What is clear now, as the widely respected cricketer takes the reins in Islamabad, is that he faces a test that will challenge every aspect of his leadership — and he’s here for all 200 million Pakistanis.
