Establishment denies receiving Imran’s letter

ISLAMABAD: As the PTI doubled down on purported ‘remedial measures’ proposed by party founder Imran Khan in a letter to the army chief, the security sources on Tuesday claimed that the chief of army staff had not received any sort of letter from the incarcerated former prime minister.

As per the letter, which has not been shared with the media, there was a growing rift between the establishment and the masses and the army needed to reevaluate its policy to win over the public while Imran Khan had shared the reasons and suggestions to remedy this situation.

PTI interim chairman Barrister Gohar Ali Khan had said that Imran Khan, in his letter, had reminded the army chief that as a former prime minister and the founder of the country’s ‘biggest political party’, he wanted to point out “certain things because of which the distance between the people and the establishment is widening”.

However, security sources said the letter written by Imran Khan had not been received by the military and dismissed reports in the media about the existence of such a letter. They claimed that the military establishment was not interested in receiving such a letter.

Sources say even if the letter arrived, it will not be entertained

They claimed that the PTI leadership had staged another drama and suggested that if the PTI was interested in holding talks, the party should contact politicians instead of the military establishment. They made it clear that if a letter is received it will not be entertained.

It may be mentioned that a similar situation had occurred after a meeting between the PTI leadership and the army chief.

The interim PTI chairman confirmed a meeting with the army chief, where he claimed to have “received a positive response”, but a statement attributed to security sources, however, denied any political aspect of the gathering.

Central Information Secretary Sheikh Waqas Akram suggested that the party founder’s proposed a viable and comprehensive solution and it should be paid heed to.

‘Remedial measures’

The PTI spokesperson, however, said the proposed remedial measures were the sole remedy to Pakistan’s deep-seated issues “before it’s too late”.

He said that the PTI founder suggested “best and most workable remedial measures”, which would not only help heal the nation’s wounds but would also provide a roadmap to put the country on the path of progress and prosperity.

He emphasised that Imran Khan always prioritised Pakistan’s interests, adding that Mr Khan was striving for constitutional supremacy, upholding the rule of law and genuine democracy.

“Zardari and Sharifs have a history of brokering deals and seeking NROs to escape punishment because their corrupt practices were well-known globally, and it was clear that their pursuit of power was driven by a desire to exploit their positions and accumulate wealth, rather than serve the country and its people,” he alleged.

He emphasised that Pakistan has reached a very critical juncture, stating, ‘it’s now or never’ to save the country from complete disaster, as the power elites ruined the very fabric of the country.

The PTI leader asserted that the nation was gearing up for a peaceful protest on February 8 across the country, marking the first anniversary of the “rigged” polls.

“February 8 was a day of gratitude when people rallied behind their leader, defying the odds to spark a silent revolution…but unfortunately, the public’s mandate was disregarded, and the PTI was robbed of its rightful victory in a brazen daylight polls heist,” he claimed.

He vowed that the PTI would hold its public meetings and rallies as per the set schedule because it was their democratic and constitutional right.

Published in Dawn, February 5th, 2025