The Interwoven Narratives: Intertextual Analysis of Imran Khan's Political Discourse

Abstract

The present study conducts a critical discourse analysis of the political speeches of Imran Khan after his removal from office via a no confidence motion. The main objective of the study is to explore the types of intertextuality employed to build a political narrative. Fairclough (1992) and Xia’s (2018) model of Intertextuality provides the theoretical underpinning. The findings posit that Khan has mentioned religious, literary, political, and historical texts and figures. He quoted direct and indirect voices and intermixed his own voice as well. He mixed religious, historical, and literary genres to make his appeal more interesting and accessible for the audience. Khan used references from the past with predefined cognitive frames and well established semantic values to strengthen his narrative. His selection of intertextual references portrays his opponent negatively while projecting a positive self-image. Such discourse helped him to (re)construct his political ideologies and achieve the desired hegemony.