Pakistan Army should return to its constitutional limits: Imran Khan

Islamabad: Jailed former Pakistan premier Imran Khan on Sunday penned an open letter to Army chief Gen Asim Munir in which he criticised the military’s unlawful actions and its engagement in politics and urged it “to return to its constitutional limits”.

In the letter posted on X, the Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) founder alleged mistreatment in prison, including placing him in solitary confinement in a death-row cell for 20 days with no access to sunlight or electricity.

Khan has been incarcerated in Adiala Jail Rawalpindi for over a year.

This follows his first letter on February 3, which urged the military to review its approach towards national security and governance.

After the first letter, security sources said it had not been received by the military and dismissed reports in the media about its existence. They claimed that the establishment was not interested in receiving such a letter.

In his latest letter, Khan said the response to “my (first) letter was dismissive and irresponsible”, adding that his concern “is purely for the reputation of our arm­ed forces and the dangerous consequences of the widening gulf between the military and the public. This is why I wrote this letter”.

He highlighted six points that have deepened the rift between the people and the military.

These points included the manipulation of election results through pre-poll rigging orchestrated by intelligence agencies, the forced passage of the 26th Constitutional Amendment in Parliament at gunpoint to take control of the judiciary and appoint handpicked judges and the imposition of draconian legislation like the amendments to PECA (Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act) to silence dissent.

Khan noted that political instability and the "might is right" policy plunged the country’s economy into chaos. Khan regretted that the country's "largest political party" was being targeted and all state institutions were being used for political engineering and revenge.   He mentioned that if a public referendum were held on the six points he highlighted, “I believe that 90 per cent of Pakis­tanis would support them”.

He said these alleged act­ions were not only harming public sentiment but also worsening the rift between the people and the army.

“For Pakistan’s stability and security, it is imperative to bridge the growing gap between the military and the public," he wrote in the letter.

“The only way to achieve this is for the military to return to its constitutional limits, disengage from politics and fulfil its designated responsibilities,” he said.

The letter came after several leaders of Khan’s party were arrested on Saturday as it held rallies to mark February 8 as ‘Black Day’ over the alleged rigging of the general elections last year.

"The army is a vital institution of the country, but a few black sheep within it are causing severe damage to its reputation," Khan said.

Khan also accu­s­ed a military officer statio­ned at Adiala Jail of orc­h­es­trating harassment and rig­hts violations against him.

"This officer ignores court orders and behaves like an ‘occupying’ force," he alleged.

Khan claimed that he was kept in complete isolation for 20 days in a dark cell with no access to sunlight. Electricity to his cell was cut off for five days, leaving him in darkness, and even his exercise equipment, television and newspapers were confiscated and access to books was arbitrarily restricted.

He clai­med that he was allowed only three phone calls with his sons in six months, despite court orders permitting more. PTI workers travelling from distant areas were denied meetings with him.

He also accused the authorities of violating court orders by denying him meetings with his wife, Bushra Bibi, whom he alleged was being kept in solitary confinement.

He claimed that four convictions against him were politically motivated, with judges allegedly forced into issuing pre-determined verdicts.

Khan said that one judge allegedly suffered severe stress-related health issues due to the pressure of ruling against him and that the PTI was being targeted through pre-poll rigging and forced electoral outcomes.

Khan said that on May 9, 2023, and Nov 26, 2024, the government allegedly brutally cracked down on peaceful PTI supporters.

“Live ammunition was fired at peaceful citizens. Under the guise of political retaliation, raids were conducted on the homes of hundreds of thousands of citizens over the past three years. More than 20,000 of our workers and supporters were arrested, while hundreds were abducted and subjected to torture,” Khan alleged.

“Thousands of innocent people were imprisoned for months on false charges. Due to pressure from intelligence agencies, over 2,000 of our workers, supporters and party leaders have had their bail petitions indefinitely delayed by high court judges,” he added.

He said the treatment of PTI’s female supporters over the past three years had been shameful and deeply concerning. “Never before in Pakistan’s history have politicians’ female family members been targeted in this manner,” he said.

“This goes against our traditions and has fuelled growing resentment against the military. If corrective measures are not taken immediately, the consequences for both the military and the country could be irreversible,” he cautioned.

Khan warned that continued actions against PTI were deepening public resentment towards the military. He alleged that a few individuals within the institution were harming its reputation and causing lasting damage.

“Our soldiers are making sacrifices for Pakistan, and for success in the war against terrorism, it is essential that the nation stands behind its military,” Khan wrote.

“However, it is deeply concerning that due to the establishment’s policies and unlawful actions, public resentment towards the military is continuously increasing. This is a violation of the military’s oath. No national army treats its own citizens this way,” he alleged.

If corrective measures are not taken, the widening divide between the military and the Public will become a dangerous fault line in terms of national security, he said.