Pakistan’s Religious Right Helped Elect A World Cricket Champion (HBO)

Imran Khan, the world champion cricketer, claimed victory in the Pakistani elections on Thursday. He wants to turn Pakistan into an “Islamic welfare state” — something like Scandinavian socialism with an Islamic twist. Khan’s past lends him some credibility to making Pakistan a “welfare state”. He’s gathered funding to build a charitable cancer hospital, and also framed himself as the most trustworthy candidate, after nailing the last Prime Minister on corruption charges. But the “Islamic” part of his vision comes from political necessity more than any deeply held religious conviction.