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Imran Khan has always been in the spotlight: as an all-rounder who led Pakistan to the pinnacle of world cricket, as a politician who rose to power on the promise of reforming the system, and now as Prime Minister facing a no-confidence vote.
A 10-point profile of the cricketer-turned-politician is as follows:
- The administration of Imran Khan is in jeopardy after a major ally made a deal with the opposition Pakistan Peoples Party. The National Assembly of Pakistan has 342 members, with 172 constituting a majority. The opposition now has 177 members, while Khan’s party has 164. Today is the deadline for a no-trust vote.
- Khan, who was born in Lahore on November 25, 1952, attended Aitchison College, Royal Grammar School in Worcester, England, and Keble College in Oxford. He excelled at cricket from an early age, debuting in a first-class match at the age of 16.
- Khan made his debut for Pakistan in 1970 and went on to become a world-class all-rounder in the decade that followed. In 1981, he was named team captain, and in 1992, he guided Pakistan to its first and only World Cup triumph.
- Khan established the Shaukat Khanum Memorial Trust Cancer Hospital after retiring from cricket in honour of his mother, who died of cancer. The hospital has a worldwide reputation as a free cancer treatment centre.
- In 1996, Khan created the Tehrik-e-Insaaf, or “Justice Movement.” Khan lost his first parliamentary election in 1997, and the party had a poor election record in its early years.
- When he was elected to the Pakistan National Assembly in 2002, he achieved political triumph. In 2007, he and around 80 other members resigned in protest of Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf’s re-election while still serving as army head.
- Khan married Jemima Goldsmith, the daughter of Sir James Goldsmith, a billionaire. In 2004, the couple split after having two boys. Reham Nayyar Khan, a TV journalist, was his second marriage, which lasted only a few months. In 2018, he married spiritual leader Bushra Bibi.
- During the 2013 Pakistan election, Khan’s party proved to be a powerful force. It went on to win 116 seats in the following election in 2018, forming a ruling coalition with minor parties’ support. On August 18, 2018, Khan was sworn in as the country’s Prime Minister.
- Khan set out to create a “welfare” state after gaining power. Several major appointments were made by his government based on qualifications rather than political favours.
- While Khan’s government has stated that it desires better relations with India, bilateral ties have deteriorated during his term, particularly following the 2019 Pulwama terror attack in which 40 CRPF members were killed.