On April 9, tensions were running high in Pakistan’s National Assembly as legislators gathered to vote on the future of Imran Khan’s government. Khan’s supporters made fiery speeches, accusing their opponents of being part of US-sponsored regime change. The opposition benches retorted by highlighting the Khan government’s authoritarianism and economic mismanagement, leading to heated exchanges between the two sides. The resolution was taken to vote just before midnight, with a majority of legislators voting to oust Khan as prime minister.

The removal of Pakistan’s former leader triggered social media responses among figures on the international Left about the momentous changes taking place in the country. Khan’s own rhetoric played into this; after all, he has announced a series of protests against what he calls an “imported government,” thus positioning himself as an anti-imperialist leader within Pakistan.

But to understand what’s happened in recent weeks, we also need to know about the internal dynamics of Pakistani politics. Without understanding the class forces that explain the nature of Khan’s rule, categories such as anti-imperialism can be transformed into merely sentimental rhetoric, exploited by demagogues who merely seek to boost their own power.