At first glance, Imran Khan and Zohran Mamdani occupy vastly different political landscapes: one led a nuclear‐armed nation of 240 million, the other seeks to govern America’s largest city. Yet both share a strikingly similar narrative: reshaping entrenched systems through redistributive policies, social welfare, and progressive taxation—all rooted in a vision of a welfare state that prioritizes vulnerable populations.

Imran Khan’s hallmark initiative, the Ehsaas Programme, launched in 2019, aimed to alleviate poverty through cash transfers, scholarships, and digitized welfare—with coverage extending to over 100 million low-income Pakistanis. Subprograms included emergency cash disbursals during COVID-19, interest-free loans, and a women-focused stipend system through Kafaalat. Complementing this was the Sehat Sahulat Program, offering social health insurance to more than 43 million families, enabling access to major medical procedures like cardiac surgery and cancer treatment.

Khan also launched the Ehsaas Apna Ghar program, offering interest-free loans for home construction and renovation, and set up hundreds of Panagahs—shelter homes providing food and temporary lodging to daily wage workers and the homeless. His urban vision focused on vertical housing development to preserve green spaces while combating sprawl.

Echoing such ambition on a municipal scale, Zohran Mamdani advocates for expansive state-led social services: free buses, universal pre‑K childcare, rent freezes, city-run grocery stores, and investments in community health—funded by taxing the rich. Both imagine government as a tool of empowerment—a bulwark for the poor and underserved.

Khan financed his welfare agenda through a blend of austerity, progressive taxation, and IMF-backed reforms. He cut government waste, auctioned luxury assets, and expanded the tax net. His administration emphasized e-governance and tax compliance to redirect resources toward health and poverty alleviation.

Similarly, Mamdani’s plan envisions raising corporate taxes to 11.5% and introducing a 2% millionaire surcharge, generating $9–10 billion annually for New York City. Both believe that societal resilience depends on the wealthy paying more and public resources being equitably distributed.

For Khan, the Naya Pakistan Housing Scheme aimed........

© Global Village Space