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Imran Khan, a figure who has been able to drag his country even beyond the cricket fields, thus consolidating his legend both on and off the pitch.

Noble origins

That Imran Khan was destined for great things was seen even from the cradle, just start with the surname: “Khan“, the noble class that dominated India until the arrival of the English. The pedigree then suggests that the surname is not the result of chance or good assonance. His paternal family is of Pashtun ethnicity and belongs to the Niazi tribe, of which one of his ancestors, Haibat Khan Niazi, was one of Sher Shah Suri’s main generals in the 16th century, as well as being the governor of Punjab. The mother instead finds its origins in the Sufi warrior-poet and inventor of the Pashto alphabet, Pir Roshan.

In a family of this type, if you are not one of the most successful of your generation, you risk being nobody. The future Pakistani leader, however, is not a man to be satisfied.

The Beckenbauer of cricket

In 1972 he moved to England to study at the Keble collage in Oxford where he will be able to deepen his commitment to cricket, a sport in which he excels and which has seen him, for 1 year now, a permanent presence in the national team. In 1975 he finished his studies at Oxford, graduating with honors in philosophy, politics and economics. By doing so, Imran can finally return to Pakistan where he can show his people what he has learned in England.

Nicknamed “Beckenbauer” for his skills as a leader on the pitch, he was the captain of the national team from 1982 to 1992. In particular, Khan announced his retirement from the national team at the end of the 1987 World Cup, the insistence of the president Muhammad Zia-ul -Haq, however, pushed him to return and compete in the 1992 World Cup at the age of 39. The expedition turned out to be correct, however, and Pakistan won its first and only cricket world cup, leading Imran Khan into legend from the front door.

In sport as in life

In 1996 he founded the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party and with it he began to make his voice heard in the country. In 2001 he sided against the war in Afghanistan and in 2002 he was arrested for participating in a student protest against the state of emergency. He was released in 2007 and in 2008 he launched himself against the election results, accused of being rigged. In 2013 the scene was repeated but this time Imran could also count on the support of the other political parties and in 2014 he organized the “Azadi March” which will then prove to be fundamental in influencing public opinion. In 2017, President Nawaz Sharif was suspended over the Panama Papers scandal and in 2018 he was sentenced to 10 years in prison, thus confirming years of khan battles.

On 17 August 2018 Imran Khan was elected Prime Minister of Pakistan, winning with 178 votes against Shehbaz Sharif’s 96.

A cultural revolution

Imran Khan’s goal has always been to make Pakistan, for the first time in its history, an independent country capable of playing a leading role in the region. In short, a “new country” that knows how to remain faithful to the principles of Mohammed Ali Jinnah, the mythical founding father of Pakistan. It is no coincidence that Islamic values are one of its strengths, including: a liberal economy, a cut in bureaucracy, the establishment of anti-corruption laws together with an independent court and finally a total overhaul of the police system.

5 pillars for a government that aspires to change by looking at the Mughals … The prerequisites are all seen and considered that, to date, according to the site Yougov is the most loved person in Pakistan and the 12th in the world. A noble captain ready to lead the country, dragging it like in a cricket world championship.

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