Imran Khan writes again to army chief, laments silence on first letter

ISLAMABAD: Former prime minister Imran Khan has written another open letter to Army Chief General Asim Munir to lament the “highly irresponsible and unserious” response to his first letter, which he claimed was written with “sincerity for the country’s well-being,” aiming to bridge the growing gap between the public and the military.

In the letter – posted on Imran Khan’s official X account – the jailed founder of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) said: “I am the former prime minister and leader of the country’s largest political party. I have spent my entire life representing Pakistan internationally and have 55 years of public service … I live and die only for Pakistan.” 

He expressed concerns about the military’s public image and the implications of the widening rift between the army and the public.

Referring to the six points he mentioned in his previous letter, Imran Khan claimed that 90% of the public would agree with them if their opinion is sought.

Highlighting his time in Adiala Jail, Khan alleged that the prison superintendent Akram was “abducted and tortured” for following the law. “I was subjected to inhumane treatment, kept in solitary confinement for 20 days without sunlight, and left in darkness without electricity for five days,” he wrote. 

He claimed his exercise equipment and television were taken away, and access to newspapers was denied. His contact with his sons was restricted, with only three conversations allowed over the past six months. He said court orders to facilitate communication with his family were ignored. 

Khan alleged that his legal visitors were often denied access despite court orders, and his wife was kept in solitary confinement as well. 

Furthermore, he accused the authorities of taking over the judiciary through the “26th constitutional amendment under duress” and appointing “pocket judges” to manipulate court decisions and cover up human rights violations and electoral fraud. 

The PTI founder claimed that court rulings in his cases were being dictated under immense pressure, alleging that a judge’s blood pressure spiked five times due to stress and that the judge was hospitalised. The judge allegedly admitted that intense pressure was being exerted to sentence Khan and his wife.