Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan confirmed that the party’s founding chairman, Imran Khan, has written an open letter to Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Gen Asim Munir, expressing concerns over the growing divide between the military and the people of Pakistan.
Speaking to the media outside Adiala Jail on Monday, Gohar emphasized that the letter should not be seen as a shift in the PTI’s policy but as a reflection of the founder’s role as a former prime minister.
According to the PTI chairman, the letter highlights several reasons for the allegedly widening gap between the army and the public, including fraudulent elections and the 26th Constitutional Amendment. The PTI founder has urged the army chief to review existing policies to prevent further alienation of the public from the armed forces, he claimed.
“The PTI founder says the gap between the army and the people should not widen. The burden of political and constitutional crises is unfairly falling on the army,” Barrister Gohar stated. He added that the letter acknowledges the sacrifices made by the armed forces but stresses the need for their focus to remain on national security rather than political matters.
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The PTI founder made it clear in the letter that the PTI does not seek chaos and regards the army as an integral institution of the country, he remarked.
Moreover, Imran Khan's sister, Aleema Khan, also addressed the media outside Adiala Jail, echoing similar sentiments. "Imran Khan wrote to the army chief that soldiers are being martyred, but all the emphasis is on eliminating the PTI," she claimed, adding that the former PM has suggested paying attention to securing the borders.
She claimed that the overthrow of the PTI government and the subsequent "torture" on people, the alleged rigging of the February 8 elections, and the May 9 events - which she described as a false flag operation - contributed significantly to the strained relationship between the public and the military.
She quoted Imran Khan as saying that the purpose of the recent constitutional amendments had become clear from the situation these days.
Aleema accused powerful circles of conspiring for three years to dismantle the PTI, adding that votes were “stolen and handed over to thieves and robbers”. She asserted that the 26th Amendment was pushed with a two-thirds majority to ensure favourable judicial appointments.
“The purpose behind bringing in favourable judges to the Supreme Court is now clear: to keep the PTI founder in jail and silence the voice of the people. By appointing judges of their choice, they will hand out punishments of their choice,” Aleema Khan alleged.
She further criticized the judicial process, claiming that the appeal in the 190 million pound reference was deliberately handed to a judge from Lahore to prolong proceedings by two to three years.
Despite these grievances, Aleema reiterated the PTI’s respect for the military, emphasizing that “our army is the backbone of this country”. She called on the people to stand with the armed forces to combat terrorism, while also urging the military to refocus on securing the borders rather than engaging in political affairs.
Earlier, PTI lawyer Faisal Chaudhry had confirmed that the former premier had written a letter to the army chief based on six points, addressing critical national issues, including the security situation and political challenges.
Speaking informally to the media outside Adiala Jail, Chaudhry had stated that the letter was sent in the capacity of the PTI founder being the leader of the "country’s largest political party" and a former PM.
According to Chaudhry, the letter presented reports on the martyrdom of army personnel due to rising terrorism and emphasized that the army could only succeed in the fight against terrorism when it has the full support of the nation.
The letter outlines six key points, including references to:
- Fraudulent elections in the country’s history
- The 26th Constitutional Amendment
- The controversial Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA), which the PTI claims is being used to stifle dissent
- Alleged instances of state terrorism against PTI members
- The constitutional responsibilities of intelligence agencies
- The country’s worsening economic situation
Faisal Chaudhry noted that the letter concludes with a request for policy changes to address these issues and to foster greater unity between the armed forces and the public.
