Long before power, Imran Khan entered politics as an outsider in a system dominated by dynasties and patronage. Fresh from cricket glory, he challenged entrenched elites, openly calling corruption a cancer eating away at the state. His stance earned him ridicule, media blackouts, and political isolation. During this period, he faced intense resistance — from being sidelined on state media to pressure during the early days of Shaukat Khanum’s fundraising, which was repeatedly questioned and polit