Born into a Pashtun family in Lahore, Pakistan, Khan grew up playing cricket and excelled in the sport. He made his international cricket debut in 1971 and went on to become a legendary all-rounder, captaining Pakistan to victory in the 1992 Cricket World Cup.

In 1996, Khan founded the PTI, a political party advocating for a welfare state and an end to corruption. He campaigned on a platform of anti-corruption and social justice, gaining popularity among the Pakistani public.

In the 2018 general elections, the PTI emerged as the largest party, and Khan was elected Prime Minister. He promised to create a "New Pakistan" based on transparency, accountability, and social justice. Khan's tenure as Prime Minister was marked by both successes and challenges. He initiated various reforms aimed at improving the economy, healthcare, and education. However, he also faced criticism for his handling of the economy, foreign policy, and alleged human rights abuses.

Pakistan's economy faced significant challenges during Khan's tenure. The country's external debt increased, and the currency depreciated. Khan's government implemented various economic measures, including an International Monetary Fund (IMF) bailout package, but the economic situation remained fragile.

In April 2022, Khan faced a no-confidence vote in the National Assembly. The vote was initially dismissed by the Deputy Speaker, but the Supreme Court intervened and ordered a resumption of the proceedings. Khan lost the no-confidence vote and was removed from office.

Khan has been in jail since August 5, when he was arrested due to a conviction in the Toshakhana corruption case. In September, he was shifted from the Attock prison to Adiala jail.

The 71-year-old has been incarcerated in the high-security jail in Rawalpindi since September 26 in various cases. One of the cases against him is the Al-Qadir Trust case which is about the settlement of 190 million pounds, about Rs 50 billion, which the UK’s National Crime Agency sent to Pakistan after recovering the amount from a Pakistani property tycoon.

Khan, being the prime minister then, instead of allegedly depositing in the national treasury, allowed the businessman to use the amount to partly settle a fine of about Rs 450 billion imposed by the Supreme Court some years ago. The tycoon, in return, allegedly gifted about 57 acres of land to a trust set up by Khan and Bushra Bibi to establish the Al-Qadir University in the Sohawa area of the Jhelum district of Punjab.