Pakistan’s history has shown it to be a bonsai democracy. Lurching from army rule to sporadic elections. Sometimes, though, the bonsai can surprise the gardener (read the Army) by sprouting some unexpected shoots. So it was on February 11, with a stunning set of election results. Imran Khan, the charismatic but fallen hero of a self-styled renaissance, nearly pulled off a match against all odds. In Pakistan’s case these days, that means Army Chief General Asim Munir—the ultimate arbiter of all political destinies.
The swashbuckling former cricket captain had been deposed in April 2022, after falling afoul of the Army, which had propelled him to the PM’s post in
