Imran Khan, an international cricketer-turned-statesman, became Pakistan’s Prime Minister in 2018 on promises of reform and accountability. His tenure ended in April 2022, when he became the first PM ousted via a no-confidence vote. Khan has consistently alleged foreign and institutional manipulation, particularly by the military, in his removal, decrying Pakistan’s hybrid civil-military system. Arrested in August 2023, Khan has faced multiple convictions. Most recently, in August 2025, Pakistan’s Supreme Court granted him bail in eight cases related to the 9 May, 2023 riots, though he remains detained on another conviction. Despite his imprisonment, Khan commands substantial support in the country, PTI secured most seats in the 2024 general election, as well as with the large and powerful Pakistani diaspora. His challenges are seen as part of the inevitable results of trying to change a system rife with corruption and of trying to reduce the role of the military.