August 1974. Queen Elizabeth II is introduced to Imran Khan by his captain Intikhab Alam

[Oct 2012](Imran Khan says Taliban's 'holy war' in Afghanistan is justified by Islamic law )

Sept 2018 Pakistan military is invisible hand behind Imran Khan's victory

Rather than get its hands dirty, the army sought a civilian leader, which would enable it to remain above the fray but in control of the issues it cares most about, such as the country’s policy toward India, Afghanistan and China, with which Pakistan has undertaken a huge 62-billion-dollar infrastructure project, the China Pakistan Economic Corridor. The army and civilian rulers both claim the project as their brainchild and want to benefit from it.

The army needed someone who not only shared some of its ideas, but also enjoyed enough popularity to be elected, to please those watching abroad, as well as satisfy the Pakistanis’ own aspirations for political freedom.