Incarcerated former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan, in an open letter to Army Chief Gen Asim Munir on Sunday, urged the military to "return to its constitutional limits."
In the letter posted on X, the Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) founder alleged mistreatment in prison, including solitary confinement in a death-row cell for 20 days without access to sunlight or electricity.
Khan has been held at Adiala Jail, Rawalpindi, for over a year.
Addressing his first letter's dismissal, Khan asserted that his concern stemmed "purely from the reputation of our armed forces and the dangerous consequences of the widening gulf between the military and the public."
“For Pakistan’s stability and security, it is imperative to bridge the growing gap between the military and the public,” Khan emphasised.
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He urged the military to "disengage from politics and fulfil its designated responsibilities."
Khan alleged that peaceful PTI supporters were violently suppressed on May 9, 2023, and November 26, 2024.
He claimed that live ammunition was fired at citizens, homes were raided, and over 20,000 PTI workers were arrested, many subjected to torture.
“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 alleged.
Acknowledging the sacrifices of soldiers, Khan noted that public support is vital for counter-terrorism success.
“However, 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 citizens this way,” he wrote.
He warned that failure to address this growing divide could create a "dangerous fault line" in terms of national security.
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