his From prison, Pakistan’s former prime minister Imran Khan has stepped up his criticism of Pakistani army chief Asim Munir’s drive to seize power, sources close to Khan said.
The correspondence also contains new allegations about Mr Khan’s ties with Mr Muneer, alleging that Mr Khan violated an agreement with Muneer to remain neutral in Pakistani politics in exchange for accepting an appointment as army commander, according to people in contact with the jailed prime minister.
Imran Khan has made fresh allegations that Asim Munir has violated an agreement to remain neutral in Pakistani politics in exchange for accepting appointment as army chief.
The deposed prime minister also alleges that Muneer conspired with civilian political opponents, including former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, to work against him in return for dropping the corruption charges that drove Sharif into exile.
The growing personal conflict between Khan and Muneer also features prominently in the correspondence, with Khan alleging that Muneer ordered the killing by operatives of Pakistan’s notorious intelligence services and that the general covered up the assassination attempt by obstructing a police investigation and suppressing CCTV footage.
Khan’s allegations against General Munir come as he continues to amass political power and lead a brutal crackdown on opposition parties, activists and the media in Pakistan.
The crackdown included the removal and imprisonment of Khan, Pakistan’s most popular politician, violence and arrests targeted at his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party, and rigged elections in February this year.
Khan’s fate is the biggest unresolved issue in the country’s politics, and prison documents suggest that animosity between Mr Khan and Mr Munir is the cause.
“Pakistani military leader Asim Munir is now targeting the family of an American democracy activist.”
As the cross-border crackdown reaches the United States, the military has reportedly detained Pakistani family members of opponents living in the United States and Canada, drawing increasingly strong condemnation from U.S. officials.
Last week, Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., released a video statement condemning the targeting of American families and called for sanctions against Pakistan’s military leaders, including Muneer.
“Pakistani military leader Asim Munir is now targeting the family of an American pro-democracy activist,” Khanna said. “Everyone knows Pakistan’s elections were rigged and Imran Khan is still in prison. The US needs to impose sanctions on Asim Munir and all Pakistani military leaders who are targeting Americans.”
Assassination attempt
Khan’s allegations about Munir were shared with The Intercept by multiple sources close to him, who requested anonymity to protect their safety.
In the correspondence, Khan claims there is security camera footage and other evidence that shows Munir hatched a plot to kill Khan during a tumultuous court appearance on March 18, 2023.
On the way to the court, Khan’s car was surrounded by a crowd, including, he claims, plainclothes agents from the Joint Intelligence Agency. He said the assassination attempt was thwarted when a mob of PTI supporters surrounded the car.
Khan also offered his own perspective on a November 2022 shooting at a political rally that left one of his supporters dead. The Pakistani government has detained one person in the attack, but authorities say it was motivated by religious extremism.
According to a source close to the former prime minister, Khan accused General Munir of being involved in a cover-up, saying he had blocked an independent investigation into the attack and that eyewitness accounts implicated multiple assailants.
Photo: Farooq Naeem/AFP via Getty Images
Mounir’s political drama
Pakistan has been held hostage by the political rivalry between Mr Khan and Mr Muneer, with the former prime minister now in jail on charges that are seen as broadly politicised.
Khan claims that Muneer negotiated a deal with civilian political opponents, including former prime minister Sharif, to avoid corruption charges, and in return politicians like Sharif supported Khan’s jailing and crackdown on his party.
Khan claims Muneer negotiated with civilian political opponents, including former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, to avoid corruption charges.
The crackdown — which has included extrajudicial executions, torture, mass detentions and other drastic measures aimed at dismantling the PTI — has so far failed to erode Khan’s popularity, and in February this year’s elections, a military-rigged election led to the formation of a coalition government against Khan, despite the PTI’s candidate winning overwhelmingly in exit polls.
Khan has described the incident as a betrayal by Munir. Sources close to Khan say the prime minister’s downfall was caused by Munir breaking the agreement. As prime minister at the time, he had the power to block Munir from taking up the country’s top military post, but he said he allowed him to be promoted after the general’s emissaries conveyed that Munir had no intention of getting involved in politics.
Muneer, like previous Pakistani military leaders, plays a central role in the country’s political affairs.
Khan’s legal status remains in flux after serious corruption and espionage charges were dismissed by the courts. The former prime minister currently remains in prison on only one charge: that he illegally married his third wife in violation of religious guidelines.
Meanwhile, the PTI remains at odds with the military and attempts to mediate a resolution to Pakistan’s ongoing political conflict have so far been unsuccessful.
Growing crackdown and crisis
Khan’s ouster by military and civilian rivals came in a 2022 no-confidence vote that came amid U.S. pressure over his foreign policy.
Since the withdrawal, Pakistan has been mired in a combination of economic and political crises that has paralyzed a nation of 200 million.
Even with Khan and the PTI removed, the military has continued to crack down on freedom of speech. This year it blocked X and issued a statement denouncing “digital terrorism.” Government officials have also spoken about imposing a national firewall on the country’s internet.
Khan’s personal safety is widely believed to be at risk from his supporters, including Pakistani Americans who recently urged Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) to contact the Pakistani government about his safety.
As well as accusing Muneer of betraying his trust and plotting to kill him, Khan has repeatedly expressed concern from prison that the general is leading the country towards a repeat of the disastrous 1971 secession – a bitter embarrassment for Pakistani nationalists.
The partition came after a military-led crackdown and massacres following an election victory for a military rival, and a civil war that led to the eastern half of the country separating into its own state as Bangladesh.
