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=== Austerity policy ===
Khan reduced the Prime Minister's staff from 524 servants to just two and opted for a minimal security detail. He also auctioned off bulletproof vehicles and four helicopters acquired by his predecessors for the Prime Minister's office.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/asia/imran-khan-pakistan-tax-rich-prime-minister-servants-cabinet-swearing-in-a8499591.html|title=Imran Khan sheds hundreds of servants and says Pakistan's elite must pay tax as his first cabinet is sworn in|first=Adam|last=Withnall|date=20 August 2018|website=The Independent}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=2018-09-17 |title=Pakistan bidders flock to PM Imran Khan's car auction |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-45554753 |access-date=2024-11-19 |language=en-GB}}</ref> However, the auction fell short of his government's expectations, with only 61 of the 100 vehicles sold, generating 200 million rupees (1.2 million pounds).<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/world/pakistan-s-austerity-car-auction-falls-short-new-pm-khan-commutes-by-helicopter-idUSKCN1LX19V/|title=Pakistan's austerity car auction falls short, new PM Khan commutes by helicopter|date=17 September 2018|website=Reuters|first=Asif|last=Shahzad}}</ref>
The four helicopters up for auction were non-operational, having fallen into disrepair after years of neglect. Originally gifted by the United States for rescue and relief efforts, two [[UH-1H]] helicopters were received between 1971-1974, and the remaining in 1992 and 1993. Newer models were later acquired, rendering the older ones unnecessary, and they remained parked at heliports for several years. Experts estimated that repairing two helicopters would cost millions, while overhauling the older two was deemed impractical and expensive.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://tribune.com.pk/story/1802367/helicopters-auctioned-govt-not-working-condition|title=Helicopters to be auctioned by govt not in working condition|date=13 September 2018|website=The Express Tribune}}</ref> Separately, a Pakistani [[AgustaWestland]] dealer proposed taking the helicopters in exchange for reducing the price of a new one that the government would buy from him. However, Pakistan's laws prohibit barter-like transactions, allowing only cash deals. The government rejected the offer unless the condition was removed.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://dunyanews.tv/en/Pakistan/458335-auction-of-helicopters-to-be-started-soon-by-government-who-will-buy|title=Govt. finds buyer for scrap, helicopters, but with a stringent condition|date=23 September 2018|website=Dunya News}}</ref> Khan also auctioned off eight buffaloes that his predecessor, [[Nawaz Sharif]], had kept to provide milk for his family.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://dunyanews.tv/en/Pakistan/459007-Eight-buffaloes-PM-House-sold-auction|title=All eight buffaloes of PM House sold at auction|date=27 September 2018|website=Dunya News}}</ref>
In 2021, a report highlighted significant savings under his leadership. Expenditures for the [[Prime Minister House]] were reduced by 49%, dropping from Rs590 million in 2018 to Rs280 million in 2020, while spending on the Prime Minister's Office decreased by 29%.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.geo.tv/latest/335371-pti-govts-austerity-drive-saves-49-expenditure-of-pm-house-official-document|title=PTI govt's austerity drive saves 49% expenditure of PM House: official document|date=17 July 2021|website=Geo TV}}</ref> Additionally, documents revealed that Khan's 12 foreign trips across three continents cost a total of $680,000, which was significantly lower than the expenses for a single visit to New York by former president [[Asif Ali Zardari]] ($1.1 million) or former prime minister [[Nawaz Sharif]] ($901,250).<ref>{{cite news|url=https://tribune.com.pk/story/2307891/imran-foreign-trips-seven-times-cheaper-than-that-of-nawazs|title=Imran foreign trips seven times cheaper than that of Nawaz’s|date=29 June 2021|first=Shahbaz|last=Rana|website=The Express Tribune}}</ref>
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Khan maintained a strong stance on the [[Kashmir issue]] and after the [[Revocation of the special status of Jammu and Kashmir]] by the Indian government in August 2019, he refused talks with India until autonomy was restored.<ref>{{Cite web |date=4 June 2021 |title=Pakistan ready to talk with India if it restores Kashmir's autonomy: PM Imran |url=https://dunyanews.tv/en/Pakistan/604682-Pakistan-ready-to-talk-with-India-restores-Kashmir-autonomy-PM-Imran |access-date=24 September 2024 |website=Dunya News |language=en}}</ref> His speech at the [[74th session of the United Nations General Assembly]] in September 2019 drew thousands of supporters, including Sikhs, Muslims, and Christians, who held protests in his favor.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.cnn.com/2019/09/27/world/modi-imran-khan-unga-intl/index.html|title=Imran Khan and Narendra Modi address the UN, as thousands protest outside|first=Caitlin|last=Hu|website=CNN|date=27 September 2019}}</ref> The speech quickly went viral, while in Indian-held Kashmir, Kashmiris celebrated in [[Srinagar]] by setting off firecrackers and praising his address.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.aljazeera.com/features/2019/9/28/were-not-alone-besieged-kashmiris-hail-imran-khans-un-speech|title=‘We’re not alone’: Besieged Kashmiris hail Imran Khan’s UN speech|date=28 September 2019|website=Al Jazeera}}</ref>
Khan criticised the [[Drone strikes in Pakistan|American drone campaign in Pakistan]] under his predecessors, questioning whether [[England]] would allow Pakistan to conduct drone strikes on [[Altaf Hussain (Pakistani politician)|Altaf Hussain]], who has been living there in exile since 1990.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N6Gv6g5yDCs|title='If we do drone attack in England...': Imran Khan on USA, Pakistan, & 'war on terror'|date=1 July 2021}}</ref>
Shortly after the [[2021 Fall of Kabul]], Khan remarked that the [[Taliban]]-led government in [[Afghanistan]] should be recognised sooner or later by the United States and not isolated.<ref>{{Cite web |title=US 'sooner or later' must recognise Taliban: Pakistan PM |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/10/2/us-will-have-to-recognise-taliban-govt-says-pakistan-pm |access-date=24 September 2024 |website=Al Jazeera |language=en}}</ref> Khan faced criticism for certain comments and policies including his stance on the Taliban.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Butt |first=Ahsan I. |title=Imran Khan's talks with the Pakistan Taliban will not bring peace |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/opinions/2021/10/27/imran-khans-talks-with-the-pakistan-taliban-wont-work |access-date=31 October 2024 |website=Al Jazeera |language=en}}</ref>
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===COVID-19 response===
{{main|Corona Relief Tiger Force}}
“The Pakistan situation is not the same as that of the US or Europe...25 percent of our population is living in grave poverty,” Khan said in a televised address. “If we shut down cities, we might save people from corona, but they will die of hunger.”<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2020/03/19/poor-will-starve-death-quarantine-developing-countries/|title=The poor will starve to death under quarantine in developing countries|date=20 March 2020|website=The Telegraph}}</ref>
Instead, Khan implemented targeted measures, shutting down COVID-19 hotspots by using military technology to track and trace those exposed. This "smart lockdown" approach aimed to isolate affected areas while minimizing economic disruption.<ref name="trackntrace">{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/global-health/terror-and-security/pakistan-uses-military-spy-technology-track-covid-19-cases/|title=Pakistan uses military spy technology to track Covid-19 cases|date=25 April 2020|website=The Telegraph}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/global-health/science-and-disease/pakistan-seals-virus-hot-spots-new-lockdown-strategy-aims-minimise/|title=Pakistan seals off virus 'hot-spots' in new lockdown strategy that aims to minimise economic damage|first=Ben|last=Farmer|date=16 June 2020|website=The Telegraph}}</ref> "The [[Inter-Services Intelligence|ISI]] has given us a great system for track and trace," the prime minister, Imran Khan, said. "It was originally used against terrorism, but now it is has come in useful against coronavirus."<ref name="trackntrace"/>
▲During this period, Khan was criticised in several [[Op-Ed]]'s for, "playing the blame game by bashing opposition politicians to divert the masses’ attention from the pandemic’s effect",<ref>{{Cite web|last=Zafar|first=Imad|date=2020-04-24|title=Imran Khan's wrong priorities during pandemic|url=https://asiatimes.com/2020/04/imran-khans-wrong-priorities-during-pandemic/|access-date=2024-11-05|website=Asia Times|language=en-US}}</ref> contributing to pandemic-related response confusion,<ref>{{Cite web|date=2020-05-01|title=Lockdown or No Lockdown? Confusion Dominates Pakistan's COVID Response|url=https://www.voanews.com/a/covid-19-pandemic_lockdown-or-no-lockdown-confusion-dominates-pakistans-covid-response/6188541.html|access-date=2024-11-05|website=Voice of America|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|title=Pakistan's Imran Khan sidelined by military during coronavirus outbreak|url=https://www.ft.com/content/686714d7-ae05-431d-a13d-1966153be151|access-date=2024-11-05|newspaper=Financial Times|date=25 April 2020|language=en-GB|quote=Even after the lockdown was announced, Mr Khan repeatedly questioned whether it was necessary, sowing confusion about the country’s response as infections rose sharply.|last1=Findlay|first1=Stephanie|last2=Bokhari|first2=Farhan}}</ref> being "lackadaisical" and having "deprived the country of a clear sense of direction."<ref>{{Cite web|last=Hussain|first=Tom|title=The coronavirus outbreak may hurt Imran Khan's political future|url=https://www.aljazeera.com/opinions/2020/4/8/the-coronavirus-outbreak-may-hurt-imran-khans-political-future/|access-date=2024-11-05 |website=Al Jazeera |language=en}}</ref> [[Ayesha Siddiqa]] criticised Imran Khan, saying he "appeared confused and not in charge of the situation. From poorly explaining the risks associated with the spread of the deadly coronavirus to badly calculating the pros and cons of a lockdown, the Pakistan Prime Minister has looked clueless."<ref>{{Cite web|last=Siddiqa|first=Ayesha|date=2020-03-27|title=Coronavirus crisis makes it clear who is calling the shots in Pakistan—Military, of course|url=https://theprint.in/opinion/coronavirus-crisis-makes-it-clear-who-is-calling-the-shots-in-pakistan-military-of-course/389232/|access-date=2024-11-05|website=ThePrint|language=en-US}}</ref>
In September 2020, the [[World Health Organization]] (WHO) said Pakistan was "among countries from whom the international community should learn how to deal with the Covid-19 pandemic."<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.dawn.com/news/1578971|title=WHO praises Pakistan’s handling of Covid-19 pandemic|date=11 September 2020|author=Ikram Junaidi|publisher=Dawn}}</ref>
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