Khan needs help in drive for change

Imran Khan, the cricketer who led Pakistan to a glorious World Cup victory over its former colonial ruler, England, has led his political party to an equally impressive victory in Pakistan’s national elections. In a country as corrupt and troubled as Pakistan, a new, charismatic leader is bound to raise hopes; whether Khan can deliver is a far different question. Pakistan’s woes are many and grave. Corruption runs deep – the last elected prime minister, Nawaz Sharif, was imprisoned two weeks ago. The national debt is ballooning, the electricity grid is disintegrating and jobs are so scarce that Pakistani workers are compelled to fan out across the Middle East to take whatever work they can find. On top of that, terrorists strike often, relations with the United States are bad and politics are chronically unstable, with a tradition of military meddling. Still, Khan’s party scored big, not only in the national Parliament but in regional races across the country, giving the 65-year-old considerable leverage to pursue his goals.

Khan offers a chance of change for a country in dire need of it. Any degree of success would benefit not only the Pakistanis, but also their neighbours and creditors, and the US, which, for better or for worse, is tied to Pakistan in its struggle against terrorism. It would be wise for the Trump administration, as well as for India and China, to do what they can to ease Khan’s way.