Imran Khan: The cricket star and former PM who is dividing Pakistan

Two years after he was ousted in a no-confidence vote, Pakistan's former prime minister Imran Khan continues to loom large over the country's upcoming general elections.

Even though the 71-year-old Mr Khan is barred from running, he continues to be a powerful force dividing the South Asian country. For some, he is an anti-establishment hero. To his opponents, he is power-hungry and corrupt.

Mr Khan, who first rose to international fame on the cricket pitch, was elected Pakistan's PM in July 2018, running under his own Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party. He promised to fight corruption and fix the economy in the country of 240 million people.

Barely four years in, he was kicked out of office by opponents in parliament, making him the first prime minister in Pakistan's history to be ousted in a vote of no-confidence.

Pakistanis were frustrated that his pledges to build an "Islamic welfare state" went unmet - leaving them to pay through their noses for food. Reports also said Mr Khan had fallen out of favour with the powerful military, a crucial behind-the-scenes player in the nuclear-armed country.

Mr Khan now faces more than 170 legal cases, including charges for corruption and terrorism. He says the charges are a politically motivated attempt to keep him off the ballot.

But he still commands considerable support - tens of thousands took to the streets in cities across Pakistan on the night he was ejected from power. Supporters have also taken the fight to military cantonments after he was arrested in May 2023 for corruption.

That arrest sparked widespread protests that plunged Pakistan deeper into political turmoil at a time when its economy is already on life support. It was later declared illegal, but in August 2023 Mr