Every now and then, a political movement in Pakistan captures the imagination of a generation. It challenges entrenched power, speaks of justice and promises to upend the status quo. PTI was one such movement. At its core was a simple but powerful ideal: a Pakistan governed by the rule of law, where economic, social and political justice prevails. It attracted millions, inspired the youth, and for a moment, felt like the country's moral centre of gravity had shifted.

And yet, within a few years, that momentum has all but vanished. PTI today is not a movement charting the future but a party caught in confusion, bereft of leadership, direction or institutional coherence. While much of this collapse is attributed to state repression and political engineering, the rot is deeper and more self-inflicted than we often admit. The PTI saga reveals something far more troubling: the structural and cultural incapacity of our political parties - and by extension, our society - to build enduring institutions out of popular movements.

Imran Khan, for all his charisma,........

© The Express Tribune