Pakistan’s former prime minister Imran Khan has reacted to the elevation of Chief of Army Staff General Asim Munir to the rank of Field Marshal, saying the title of "King" would have been more appropriate -- given the “current state of lawlessness in the country”.
The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder made the statement via a post on X (formerly Twitter). A day earlier, his sister Aleema Khan had echoed similar sentiments on his behalf, saying that these were her brother’s words.
In Thursday’s post, Imran wrote: “Mashallah, General Asim Munir has become a Field Marshal. Though, it would’ve been more fitting if he had taken the title of ‘King’ instead -- because right now, it’s the law of the jungle in the country, and in the jungle, there’s only a king.”
It is understood that posts from Imran Khan’s X account are managed by his media team after meetings between PTI leaders and Khan at Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi. During these visits, Khan conveys instructions and messages, which are either relayed to the media by party leaders or published via his social media platforms.
A trimmed version of Imran Khan’s post on X showing his statement on the army chief.X
Speaking to the media outside Adiala Jail on Thursday, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur -- whose province is governed by the PTI -- said he agreed with the party founder’s views on the army chief’s promotion. However, Gandapur did not repeat the exact language used by Khan in his post.
Gandapur has said that the rule of law must prevail in the country, alleging that the current government came to power through a stolen mandate marked by abuse and manipulation. “Our mandate must be returned. Human rights are being violated, and our leaders and workers remain behind bars. The judiciary must protect us — we stand with them,” he said.
The KP CM said he met with the former premier at Adiala Jail after a gap of two months, holding a one-on-one meeting that lasted nearly two hours. He claimed he had made several attempts to meet Khan during this period but was denied access by jail authorities.
“When Imran Khan gives me the vision, I will follow it,” said Gandapur. “The entire system tried to eliminate Imran Khan, but they failed. I never asked the government to negotiate with us — once Khan speaks, our statements become irrelevant.”
He also condemned recent drone strikes in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, calling them a failure of the state. “It’s a sign of incompetence when civilians lose their lives. I’m not directly accusing anyone of killing civilians, but it has happened before,” he said.
"I will now lead the mass movement"
Speaking on Khan’s renewed directives, Gandapur said: “I want to convey Khan’s message to the nation -- his struggle is for genuine democracy and freedom. I was tasked with managing the government in KP, but now I will take charge of the mass protests, which will be launched with full force.”
Aleema says Gohar’s praise for COAS was in ‘personal capacity’
Separately, speaking to the media, Aleema Khan — sister of former prime minister Imran Khan -- clarified that Barrister Gohar Khan’s remarks congratulating Army Chief General Asim Munir on his elevation to Field Marshal were made in his personal capacity.
Aleema, who was not allowed to meet her brother at Adiala Jail earlier in the day, said: “Barrister Gohar cannot represent the party while Imran Khan is present. If he paid any tribute to General Asim Munir, it was his personal opinion.”
She stressed that Gohar’s comments should not be seen as reflective of the party’s stance. “The opinion of the party is not the opinion of Barrister Gohar Khan,” she said.
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