Imran Khan's 'U-turns' score nears a century

ISLAMABAD: With the latest change in Imran Khan's stance on regime change conspiracy, the number of 'U-turns' the former Pakistan premier has taken might have crossed the century, local media reported.

The only consistent policy of Khan on which he has never taken an about turn is "taking a U-turn on almost every statement", The News reported. Khan described the 'U-turn' as a hallmark of leadership.

On November 18, 2018 while justifying and defending his about turns, Khan tweeted, "Doing a U-turn to reach an objective is the hallmark of great leadership just as lying to save ill-gotten wealth is the hallmark of crooks."

After coming into power, Khan together with his cabinet stepped back from most of the promises he made to the nation before winning the 2018 elections, The News reported.

Even after he was ousted from the government, the 'U-turn' policy is still a consistent part of Khan's strategy. There is a long list of Khan's famous 'U-turns' that he has taken over the years.

On March 27, 2022 Khan while addressing a public rally in Islamabad claimed that the US is behind the opposition's no-confidence move and conspiring against his government.

Later, he changed as many as four stances on this statement of US conspiracy, The News reported. Khan again changed his stance on US-conspiracy theory and this time he blamed leaders Nawaz Sharif, Asif Ali Zardari, Maulana Fazlur Rehman and others as the real character of the operation regime.

After he was ousted as prime minister, Khan questioned the logic of the Army Chief's meeting with the opposition leaders. Whereas, at the same time the media revealed that Khan also held a meeting with the then Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa, The News reported.

Khan warned his party leaders and members of the National Assembly not to meet any foreign diplomats at the time of no-confidence move. However, later not only PTI leaders but Khan also met with diplomats.

In the process of no-confidence motion, Khan claimed the opposition parties are trying to buy his party members' votes. Later, an audio leak revealed that Khan himself was trying to manage the votes to save his government, The News reported.

During his government, Khan termed COAS Gen Bajwa as a pro-democracy military chief. But after he was ousted from power, Khan termed Bajwa Mir Jaffer and Mir Sadiq, The News reported.

Khan offered an extension to General Bajwa in return for saving his government. However, after he was ousted as the Prime Minister, Khan criticised Bajwa.

As a Prime Minister, Khan boasted that he had all the powers but when ousted, he changed his stance and said he was a toothless head of the government.

Khan promised that Prime Minister, Chief Ministers and Governor Houses would be converted into educational institutions. However, not only Imran Khan shifted to the Prime Minister's House, but his party's Chief Ministers and governors also shifted into Chief Minister and Governor Houses, The News reported.