Okay, the well-shielded connotation put me off-track.
Well for one thing, there was this recent attempt by a social worker Jahangir Akhtar to emulate Anna Hazare, which did not draw widespread support. Maybe he stood for defence cuts along with price-rise and corruption issues which must have put the establishment off, and hence people support was lacking. You see, If Imran Khan would have stood against bad governance, or against corruption or against price rise, then he would not have support from much of the religious or establishment-puppets that we see now. His primary dissent was against foreign interference and weak government puppets which resonated with the establishment which has led to the popular support that he has now.