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Who is Imran Khan, Pakistan's prime minister?

From cricket icon, to hedonistic playboy, and finally the leader of Pakistan — Imran Khan has enjoyed a long career in the public eye. DW looks at Imran Khan's sporting successes and political ascent.

  • Imran Khan, leader of Pakistan's Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party (picture-alliance/AP Photo/B.K. Bangash)

    Affluent upbringing

    Imran Khan was born in Lahore in 1952, the son of a civil engineer. Khan grew up with his four sisters in a relatively affluent part of the city. He received a privileged education, first in his hometown and then in Worcester, England. It was there that Khan's love and talent for the game of cricket became evident. In 1972, he enrolled at Oxford University to study politics and economics.

  • Imran Khan playing cricket (Getty Images)

    Pakistan cricket's blue-eyed boy

    Khan played cricket throughout his time in England and after returning to his native Pakistan in 1976, he quickly became a regular in the national team. By 1982, he was awarded the captain's armband. Khan enjoyed an illustrious career and was regarded by many as one of the best all-rounders in the world.

  • Imran Khan lifts 1992 Cricket World Cup (Getty Images/AFP/S. Dupont)

    World champion

    The ultimate high point of Khan's sporting career saw him captain Pakistan to the 1992 Cricket World Cup in Melbourne, Australia. As if his popularity couldn't get any bigger back home, Khan even took the winning wicket in the final against England.

  • Just Married - Jemima Goldsmith marries Imran Khan (picture-alliance/dpa)

    From playboy to (thrice) married man

    Khan enjoyed hedonistic bachelor life and was a regular fixture on London's nightlife scene. However, in 1995, at age 42, he finally tied the knot to 21-year-old Jemima Goldsmith. During their nine-year marriage, the famous couple provided plenty of fodder for the British and Pakistani tabloids. Despite separating in 2004, Goldsmith has remained a vocal supporter of Khan's politics.

  • Ex-Cricket-Star Imran Khan campaigns ahead of the 1997 election (picture-alliance/dpa)

    Khan enters politics

    Khan wasted little time after retiring from cricket in 1994. Just two years later he entered Pakistani politics and founded the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party. However, his popularity was slow to carry over from cricket into politics. In the 1997 general elections, his PTI party failed to win a single seat.

  • Imran Khan at a protest in Islamabad, Pakistan Pakistan (AP)

    Political activist

    Khan remained active in politics over the next decades. In 1999, he supported General Pervez Musharraf's military coup, only to later turn against Musharraf ahead of the 2007 presidential election. Khan was subsequently placed under house arrest and even spent a few days in prison. However, his supporter base continued to grow, and by 2013 he became a key candidate in the general elections.

  • Supporters of Imran Khan celebrate the PTI's regional victory in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (picture-alliance/dpa/A. Arab)

    2013: Khan's political breakthrough

    The PTI made substantial gains in the 2013 election, claiming 30 parliamentary seats and finishing second behind the Pakistan Muslim League. The party became the main opposition in the key provinces of Punjab and Sindh. However, its greatest feat was winning its first province in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

  • Imran Khan at a political rally (Getty Images)

    "Taliban Khan"

    Khan has often been the butt of jokes for his pacifist stance towards terrorism in the region. He earned the moniker "Taliban Khan" for claiming that the only way to achieve peace with the Taliban in neighboring Afghanistan was through negotiation. Khan was also a vocal critic of US drones strikes on Pakistan and has promised to disengage Pakistan from America's conflicts in the Middle East.

  • Imran Khan's marriage to Bushra Manika (PIT)

    Two more marriages

    Since his divorce from Goldsmith in 2004, Khan has remarried twice. In January 2015, Khan announced his marriage to British-Pakistani journalist Reham Khanm although just 10 months later the couple said they were filing for divorce. In February 2018, Khan married his third wife, Bushra Manika (pictured front row, second from the left), whom he describes as his spiritual adviser.

  • Imran Khan (picture-alliance/AP Photo/K.M. Chaudary)

    Making waves in 2018

    By 2018, Khan's PTI were among the favorites going into the general election. Campaigning on a populist platform, Khan pledged to break away from Pakistan's corrupt legacy. His plans include a poverty reduction program similar to that seen in China. This would see the establishment of an "Islamic welfare state," the creation of 10 million jobs and construction of 5 million homes for the poor.

  • Imran Khan supporters celebrate PTI's election victory (Getty Images/A.Ali)

    Prime Minister Imran Khan

    Khan completed his journey from all-star cricketer to political leader on July 26, 2018. With most votes counted, the PTI is expected win up to 119 seats in Pakistan's 272-seat parliament. "I started this struggle 22 years ago and today I have been given a chance to fulfill what I dreamed for the country," Khan said in a televised speech. "We will run Pakistan like it's never been run before."


  • Imran Khan, leader of Pakistan's Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party (picture-alliance/AP Photo/B.K. Bangash)

    Affluent upbringing

    Imran Khan was born in Lahore in 1952, the son of a civil engineer. Khan grew up with his four sisters in a relatively affluent part of the city. He received a privileged education, first in his hometown and then in Worcester, England. It was there that Khan's love and talent for the game of cricket became evident. In 1972, he enrolled at Oxford University to study politics and economics.

  • Imran Khan playing cricket (Getty Images)

    Pakistan cricket's blue-eyed boy

    Khan played cricket throughout his time in England and after returning to his native Pakistan in 1976, he quickly became a regular in the national team. By 1982, he was awarded the captain's armband. Khan enjoyed an illustrious career and was regarded by many as one of the best all-rounders in the world.

  • Imran Khan lifts 1992 Cricket World Cup (Getty Images/AFP/S. Dupont)

    World champion

    The ultimate high point of Khan's sporting career saw him captain Pakistan to the 1992 Cricket World Cup in Melbourne, Australia. As if his popularity couldn't get any bigger back home, Khan even took the winning wicket in the final against England.

  • Just Married - Jemima Goldsmith marries Imran Khan (picture-alliance/dpa)

    From playboy to (thrice) married man

    Khan enjoyed hedonistic bachelor life and was a regular fixture on London's nightlife scene. However, in 1995, at age 42, he finally tied the knot to 21-year-old Jemima Goldsmith. During their nine-year marriage, the famous couple provided plenty of fodder for the British and Pakistani tabloids. Despite separating in 2004, Goldsmith has remained a vocal supporter of Khan's politics.

  • Ex-Cricket-Star Imran Khan campaigns ahead of the 1997 election (picture-alliance/dpa)

    Khan enters politics

    Khan wasted little time after retiring from cricket in 1994. Just two years later he entered Pakistani politics and founded the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party. However, his popularity was slow to carry over from cricket into politics. In the 1997 general elections, his PTI party failed to win a single seat.

  • Imran Khan at a protest in Islamabad, Pakistan Pakistan (AP)

    Political activist

    Khan remained active in politics over the next decades. In 1999, he supported General Pervez Musharraf's military coup, only to later turn against Musharraf ahead of the 2007 presidential election. Khan was subsequently placed under house arrest and even spent a few days in prison. However, his supporter base continued to grow, and by 2013 he became a key candidate in the general elections.

  • Supporters of Imran Khan celebrate the PTI's regional victory in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (picture-alliance/dpa/A. Arab)

    2013: Khan's political breakthrough

    The PTI made substantial gains in the 2013 election, claiming 30 parliamentary seats and finishing second behind the Pakistan Muslim League. The party became the main opposition in the key provinces of Punjab and Sindh. However, its greatest feat was winning its first province in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

  • Imran Khan at a political rally (Getty Images)

    "Taliban Khan"

    Khan has often been the butt of jokes for his pacifist stance towards terrorism in the region. He earned the moniker "Taliban Khan" for claiming that the only way to achieve peace with the Taliban in neighboring Afghanistan was through negotiation. Khan was also a vocal critic of US drones strikes on Pakistan and has promised to disengage Pakistan from America's conflicts in the Middle East.

  • Imran Khan's marriage to Bushra Manika (PIT)

    Two more marriages

    Since his divorce from Goldsmith in 2004, Khan has remarried twice. In January 2015, Khan announced his marriage to British-Pakistani journalist Reham Khanm although just 10 months later the couple said they were filing for divorce. In February 2018, Khan married his third wife, Bushra Manika (pictured front row, second from the left), whom he describes as his spiritual adviser.

  • Imran Khan (picture-alliance/AP Photo/K.M. Chaudary)

    Making waves in 2018

    By 2018, Khan's PTI were among the favorites going into the general election. Campaigning on a populist platform, Khan pledged to break away from Pakistan's corrupt legacy. His plans include a poverty reduction program similar to that seen in China. This would see the establishment of an "Islamic welfare state," the creation of 10 million jobs and construction of 5 million homes for the poor.

  • Imran Khan supporters celebrate PTI's election victory (Getty Images/A.Ali)

    Prime Minister Imran Khan

    Khan completed his journey from all-star cricketer to political leader on July 26, 2018. With most votes counted, the PTI is expected win up to 119 seats in Pakistan's 272-seat parliament. "I started this struggle 22 years ago and today I have been given a chance to fulfill what I dreamed for the country," Khan said in a televised speech. "We will run Pakistan like it's never been run before."


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