Pakistan army dismisses Khan's letter as 'another failed drama'

Security sources in Pakistan have denied receiving any letter from former Prime Minister Imran Khan addressed to the country's army chief, General Syed Asim Munir. The sources also indicated they have no interest in responding to any such correspondence from the former Prime Minister to the army chief.

Barrister Gohar Ali Khan, Chairman of Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party, stated that while he had not personally seen or read the letter, Imran Khan informed lawyers and journalists during a meeting at Adiala Jail yesterday that he had written to the army chief.

Security sources told Pakistani media, "The claim on social media that the former prime minister sent a letter to the army chief from prison is false. No such letter has been received. This is yet another failed drama by PTI."

The statement quoted an analyst saying, "According to security sources, no such letter has been received. Moreover, even if such a letter exists, the establishment has no interest in receiving or responding to it. The establishment has already made it clear that any issues should be discussed with politicians."

Speaking to the media at Parliament House, PTI Chairman Barrister Gohar reaffirmed that Imran Khan had indeed written a letter to the army chief from Adiala Jail.

The letter

Khan had read the letter's contents to journalists and lawyers on Monday, stating that while the army had made many sacrifices, there should be no divide between the military and the people.

"Imran Khan believes it is crucial to address the causes of the growing divide between the army and the people," Barrister Gohar told journalists. "As the leader of Pakistan's largest political party and former Prime Minister, Khan Sahib has expressed his sincere thoughts in the letter," he added.

"Khan Sahib has stated that we would welcome any response from the military," Barrister Gohar said. "There should be no divide between the army and the people under any circumstances. These ongoing situations are what lead to criticism of the army."

The letter follows recent reports of a meeting between Gen. Munir and PTI leaders, including party chairman Barrister Gohar and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur.

Breakdown in talks?

The statements come amid an apparent breakdown in dual-track negotiations - PTI was reportedly engaging in separate talks with both the government and military establishment. While one channel involved direct communication with government representatives, another track was maintained with military intermediaries.

These parallel negotiations ultimately failed to yield results. Meanwhile, PTI supporters staged nationwide protests on November 26 against alleged election rigging, though these demonstrations saw limited success due to strict security measures in major cities.

The party now claims that several of their supporters were killed and protesters were dispersed using deadly force during these demonstrations. PTI's main demand has shifted to calling for a judicial inquiry into both the November 26 protests and the May 9 incidents, when violent protests erupted across Pakistan following Imran Khan's initial arrest.

This is not the first time Khan has written to the army chief. In May last year, he sent a similar letter raising concerns over political interference and the military’s role in governance.