Why So Many Pakistanis Believe the US Backed a Coup Against Imran Khan, w/ Azhar Imran

Whether or not there was a U.S.-backed coup against Pakistan’s deposed leader Imran Khan is a point of great debate. On a recent episode of Dispatches, Rania Khalek spoke with Pakistani professor Taimur Rahman, who argued that it was not a coup:

Was Imran Khan’s Ouster a US-Backed Coup? It’s Complicated, Says Pakistani Leftist Taimur Rahman

But judging by the crowds in the street, many Pakistanis believe that there was in fact a coup and that the US played a major role. To understand why so many Pakistanis are demonstrating in support of Imran Khan, Rania Khalek was joined by Azhar Imran, a lecturer of political science at Punjab University.

TIME CODES
0:00 Intro
1:54 How Imran Khan was removed from power
4:36 An Imran Khan comeback?
8:34 Why the opposition united against Imran Khan
13:27 Did the military initially support Imran Khan?
18:14 The lawyer’s movement
23:19 Hatred of ruling elites
29:40 Imran Khan & religious fundamentalists
36:55 Is Imran Khan a right wing populist?
41:58 Opposition to U.S. drone strikes
45:44 Imran Khan’s relationship with the U.S.
49:21 Imran Khan’s foreign policy
58:21 Imran Khan’s relationship w/ the International Monetary Fund
1:01:52 Class politics in Pakistan
1:04:21 Pakistani army tensions
1:08:45 The three As