Pakistan’s political situation worrying

The

assassination attempt on Pakistan’s former prime minister Imran Khan

in the city of Wazirabad has again highlighted societal tensions simmering in the nuclear-armed nation where political violence is not uncommon, and where leaders, in particular, have suffered violent deaths. These have included founding prime minister Liaqat Ali Khan in 1951, military chief-turned-president Zia ul Haq in a mysterious 1988 plane crash, and former prime minister Benazir Bhutto who was shot in 2007 as she campaigned for re-election.

The attempt on the life of Mr Khan, a cricket prodigy who led Pakistan to its only one-day international World Cup win in 1992 and was seen as a protege of the all-powerful military-led establishment, continues this disturbing trend, and increases the risk of violence and political instability at a time when the country is contending with low foreign currency reserves, severe inflation, a weakened economy, and significant damage caused by recent flooding. Indeed, little seems to have changed since Mr Khan fell out with the generals and was ousted in April amid high inflation, perceptions of economic mismanagement, and widening corruption.