Former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s Third Open Letter to Army Chief, General Asim Munir

Imran Khan
@ImranKhanPTI
Former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s Third Open Letter to Army Chief, General Asim Munir – February 13, 2025

“I am neither seeking any deal for myself nor any concession for my party. As a former Prime Minister and a patriotic Pakistani, my sole concern is the restoration of my army’s reputation and the national interest of my beloved country. Despite the fact that the army is engaged in a war against terrorism and facing daily casualties, there is a lack of harmony between the public and the military due to the establishment’s policies.

I urge the ISPR to refrain from presenting false narratives. Repeatedly claiming that the armed forces do not interfere in politics is an insult to the intelligence of the nation. In this era of social media, nothing can be concealed. Every citizen of the country is aware that it is the Army Chief who runs the system of this country. Be it electoral rigging, the buying and selling of parliamentarians, the destruction of the judiciary, or oppressive laws restricting public opinion—both our well-informed nation and the international community are aware of the invisible hands orchestrating these actions. Therefore, I request that falsehoods be avoided, as they only tarnish the reputation of the military as an institution.

I will highlight five key points that have pushed Pakistan to the brink of devastation:

1. Imposing Rejected Figures on the Nation through Rigged Elections
The establishment’s policy of installing rejected leaders through rigged elections is causing immense harm to the country. Not long ago, the nation was being informed about the corruption scandals involving assets such as Surrey Mansion and Mayfair Flats. However, the entire state machinery and agencies were deployed not only to conduct massive pre-election rigging but also to orchestrate the biggest post-election fraud in history, forcibly imposing these same individuals on the nation.

Efforts have been made to propagate the narrative that the cases against the Sharif and Zardari families were politically motivated. However, the truth is that no corruption cases were initiated against them during our tenure. Intelligence agencies gathered evidence of their corruption. General Ehtesham Zamir and Farooq Leghari had compiled dossiers detailing their billions of rupees worth of corruption and money laundering. The NAB (National Accountability Bureau) was never under our control; General Bajwa was the one who controlled it. All cases against them predated our tenure. The only case initiated during our government was the Ramzan Sugar Mills case against Shehbaz Sharif, which has also been closed. The nation has witnessed how these individuals, tainted by NAB cases, were granted a clean slate through a backdoor deal and reimposed on Pakistan. The amendments in NAB laws, which effectively granted them an NRO, have inflicted an economic loss of 1,100 billion Rupees on the country. If one traces this fraudulent scheme, all puppet strings lead to a single hand, and the army is bearing the brunt of the blame.

2. The Destruction of Democracy
Democracy thrives on moral authority. A government can only function democratically if it possesses ethical legitimacy. Over the past three decades, Pakistan had gradually progressed toward democratic restoration. The judiciary had attained some independence through sustained struggle, the media had gained a degree of freedom, and the country was on a path to improvement. However, first, our government was ousted through a conspiracy. Then, not only was a fraudulent government installed, but the Constitution was violated to ensure their continued rule. Elections were postponed, all possible pre-election manipulations were carried out, our election symbol was taken away through Qazi Faez Isa, our key candidates were barred from contesting, and even our election campaign was suppressed\

Despite these obstacles, when the Pakistani people gave us a landslide victory, the results were altered through Form-47, reducing our majority and allowing a party with only 17 seats to seize control. To conceal this electoral fraud and crush the PTI (party), democracy has been completely violated. The report by PATTAN, an independent election audit organization should serve to enlighten everyone about the electoral fraud, which documents 64 new methods of rigging, exposing the damage inflicted upon democracy. With severe media censorship and human rights violations, all pillars of democracy have been dismantled.
In summary, all fundamental elements of democracy—an independent judiciary, freedom of speech, a free press, and human rights—have been systematically dismantled. This entire scheme is fundamentally driven by the establishment’s attempt to crush PTI and cover up election fraud.

3. Misplaced National Priorities
While the world is progressing forward, we are moving in the opposite direction. Pakistan needs deep structural reforms, including institutional strengthening, the rule of law, economic growth, increased revenue, reduced expenditures, job creation in line with population growth, social security, law and order, and foreign investment. Strong institutions are the cornerstone of national development.
Such reforms are challenging and can only be undertaken by a government that has public legitimacy and moral authority. Those who seize power through NROs and electoral fraud lack the capacity for reform. Today, we have a fraudulent parliament, sham legislators, counterfeit ministers, and even a fake president. Their sole agenda is a reign of terror—to rule through fear and intimidation.
National stability can only be achieved through rule of law and granting citizens their fundamental freedoms. Yet, in the 21st century, even internet access is being curtailed, harming education, social life, and economic activities. The already struggling economy is suffering further due to such reckless measures.
After the 26th Amendment, Pakistan ranks just above a few countries in the World Justice Project’s Rule of Law Index. According to the Economist Intelligence Unit, we are rapidly transitioning from a hybrid system to a fully authoritarian regime.
Similarly, national security can only be ensured by adopting rational foreign policies that prioritize Pakistan’s interests. Our approach toward Afghanistan is not serious, and as a result, we are facing an escalating terrorism crisis.

4. Brain Drain and Capital Flight
Due to ongoing oppression and lawlessness, the Pakistani public is deeply disheartened. Investors and skilled professionals are leaving the country in large numbers. Over the past two years, 1.7 million people have migrated abroad, causing an estimated economic loss of 15 to 20 billion Dollars. Economic instability is at its peak, with zero growth and negligible investment. Poverty and unemployment are skyrocketing.
Reports of Pakistanis perishing at sea while attempting to flee the country emerge daily, underscoring the depth of despair prevalent in the nation.

5. Human Rights Violations
The country is witnessing an era of fascism, marked by rampant violations of fundamental human rights. The oppression and desecration of personal sanctities are reminiscent of what transpired in East Pakistan before the fall of Dhaka. On February 8th (2025), under the pretense of preventing protests, police raids were conducted across the country, violating the sanctity of private homes—a practice that continues unabated. The Punjab Police, in an excessive display of loyalty to the ruling elite, has descended into sheer lawlessness. In Wazirabad, they even prevented us from offering funeral prayers for our worker.

If no action is taken against the serious human rights violations committed by the state during tragedies like May 9 (2023) and November 26 (2024), justice will remain unattainable in this country. On May 9th (2023) and November 26th (2024), our unarmed, democracy-loving supporters faced extreme brutality. Peaceful citizens were shot and martyred, over 100,000 raids were conducted on citizens’ homes in three years, more than 20,000 workers and supporters were arrested, and hundreds were abducted and tortured. Thousands of innocent individuals were imprisoned for months under fabricated cases. Political engagement has been criminalized. Civilians have been subjected to torture in military custody, and the human rights violations once limited to Balochistan have now spread across the entire country. In my cases, “pocket judges” are being handpicked, my lawyers are barred from attending jail trials, and only selected journalists are granted access at will. This systemic breakdown follows the 26th Constitutional Amendment, which has completely dismantled the justice system, allowing the rule of force to prevail. People’s fundamental right to live is being stripped away. Unless Pakistan is rescued from this quagmire, the country cannot move forward.

Given the aforementioned points, it is imperative that the establishment immediately revises its policies to prevent further damage to the institution of the army. The elite, who have plundered the national treasury and amassed wealth abroad, will simply flee on the next flight. Instead of expending the entire system’s energy on protecting this clique, the focus must shift toward setting the right priorities and addressing the needs of the 240 million Pakistanis whose lives and futures are rooted in this country.
The only path to Pakistan’s survival and progress is to rise above personal interests, learn from past mistakes, and align all actions and policies with the Constitution and the rule of law.
For political and economic stability, it is crucial to bridge the gulf between the armed forces and the people. The only way to achieve this is for the military to withdraw from politics and focus solely on its constitutionally mandated responsibilities. If this does not happen, these widening rifts will become national security fault lines.”