Pakistan Army accuses imprisoned former leader Imran Khan of being 'mentally ill' for criticizing army chief

ISLAMABAD Pakistan's armed forces reacted strongly after imprisoned ex-Prime Minister Imran Khan described the countrys army chief as "mentally unstable." In response, the military publicly labeled Khan as "mentally ill," accusing him of using family visits and social media posts to attack the military and incite division.

Army spokesperson Lt. Gen. Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry refrained from naming Khan directly but characterized him as a "narcissist" whose political ambitions had escalated to the point where he believed if I am not in power, nothing else should exist. Chaudhry also warned that individuals meeting Khan in prison were being used to spread poison against the army.

The comments followed a visit to Khan by one of his sisters, who reported that he expressed anger at Army Chief Gen. Asim Munir. The remarks also came after Khan posted on X, calling Munir mentally unstable and accusing him of moral failings that led to the complete collapse of the Constitution and rule of law in Pakistan. Khan claimed he and his wife were jailed on fabricated charges at his command and said he was held in solitary confinement under psychological pressure.

Khan, 73, has been imprisoned since 2023 following a corruption conviction and faces multiple other charges. During the press briefing, Chaudhry showed Khans recent X post and criticized Afghan and Indian media for amplifying what he called the nonsense of a mentally ill person, dismissing Khans allegations against Munir as baseless.

The statement came a day after President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif endorsed Munir's promotion as the chief of defense forces, a newly established role intended to enhance coordination among the army, navy, and air force. Munir has gained prominence this year, particularly after Pakistan claimed victory over India in a four-day conflict.

Chaudhry accused Khan of deliberately attempting to provoke hostility toward the military. We will not allow anyone to create rifts between Pakistans military and its people, he said, emphasizing that while the constitution guarantees freedom of expression, it also sets boundaries and does not permit actions that threaten national security.

The army spokesperson linked Khan to the May 9, 2023, attacks on military installations, including the headquarters in Rawalpindi. He noted, Was it not this same individual who orchestrated those attacks? The violence followed Khans arrest, when thousands of his supporters attacked government and military sites. Khan has denied charges of inciting the unrest.

Chaudhry clarified that decisions about banning Khans party fall to the civilian government, not the military. He described Khans alleged anti-army messaging as a national security threat, claiming it was coordinated in deep collusion with external actors.

Khan was removed from office in a no-confidence vote in April 2022. His party remains in opposition and continues to assert that the 2024 parliamentary elections were manipulated to favor Prime Minister Sharif, a claim the government rejects.

Author: Caleb Jennings