Just as the people of this country elected him to lead them, people who participated in ARY News’ Person of The Year 2018 poll voted in large numbers for Imran Khan; the man who became country’s 22nd prime minister this year, after a 22-year-struggle.
Imran Khan received 70.30 percent votes and became ARY News’ Person of the Year 2018.
Once termed a “failing ideologue’ by his opponents, the cricketer-turned-politician’s party emerged victorious in July 25 general elections paving way for him to be elected as country’s 22nd prime minister.
In his first speech as country’s premier, Imran Khan made it clear that he will leave no stone unturned to bring the promised reforms and his priorities will be health, education and social reform.
As prime minister, Khan, 65, faced tests on several fronts, from dealing with an urgent foreign currency shortage to managing a tense relationship with the United States.
His first 100 days performance, however, proved that he has so far succeeded in putting the country on the right path to resolve these crisis.
On diplomatic front, Imran Khan won the nation’s hearts when he hit back at US President Donald Trump in a series of tweets after the US President claimed that the Pakistan had not done a “damn thing” for America, while defending his administration’s decision to stop hundreds of millions of military aid.
Imran Khan’s remarks were covered and praised not only by the people of the country but also international media.
Khan said that the record needed to be “put straight on Mr Trump’s tirade against Pakistan.”
In his tweet, Khan pointed out five stating that “no Pakistani was involved in 9/11 but Pakistan had decided to participate in US’ War on Terror.” He also said that Pakistan had suffered 75,000 casualties in this war and “over $123 billion was lost to economy”, adding that the US “aid” was a “miniscule $20 billion.”
PM Imran noted that tribal areas in the country were “devastated” and that millions of people were “uprooted from their homes” because of the war. “The war drastically impacted lives of ordinary Pakistanis,” he said in his tweet.
“Pak continues to provide free lines of ground & air communications. Can Mr Trump name another ally that gave such sacrifices?” the PM had written.
His visit to Saudi Arabia can be termed most fruitful in economic terms since the oil-rich kingdom pledged six bn dollars in financial support for the country. It promised $3bn to meet its current account deficit and offered $3bn worth of oil on deferred payments.
The recent visit to the UAE was aimed at cementing traditional relations with the UAE government. The UAE has also promised to extend another $3bn to Pakistan for supporting its rapidly deteriorating economy.
The shelter homes’ project, the Clean and Green Pakistan campaign and ‘Naya Pakistan Housing Project’ were also well received.
Chief Justice of Pakistan Mian Saqib Nisar received a total of 10.10 percent votes while the The youngest victim of pellet gun in Kashmir Hiba Jan became the third runner up with 8.2 percent votes.
174 people voted for Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Qamar Bajwa while 120 people voted for Palestinian activist Ahed Tamimi, the lady who served jail time for slapping two Israeli soldiers.
