Imran Khan vs Asim Munir: The Feud That Began In 2019

The year was 2019. Lieutenant General Asim Munir was removed as the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) chief within eight months of him taking the charge under then Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan's government. Munir had been handpicked by the Pakistan Army chief Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa to head the ISI.

Today, six years later, Munir is the country's first Chief of Defence Forces (CDF), a post created through the contentious 27th Amendment to the Pakistani Constitution. Munir now controls the country's tri-forces - army, air-force and navy and will serve till 2030.

Former Prime Minister and founder of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI), Khan, on the other hand, is in jail. He continues to be more powerful than Munir.

A Surprise Sacking

In 2019, Munir reportedly showed interest in investigating allegations of corruption around Khan's wife, Bushra Bibi, and her circle.

This, allegedly, didn't sit well with the then PM, who subsequently removed Munir from the post of Director General ISI.

The army offered no explanation for the reshuffle, which saw Munir leave the post in eight months, from what was supposed to be a three-year term.

Four years later, in 2023, the PTI chief refuted all such allegations, terming them as "false". In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Khan wrote, "This is completely false. Neither did Gen Asim show me any proof of my wife's corruption nor did I make him resign because of that."

The Fall Of Imran Khan

In April 2022, Khan lost a crucial trust vote in the National Assembly, becoming the first prime minister in the country's history to be ousted through a no-confidence motion. The opposition parties secured 174 votes in the 342-member house in support of the no-confidence motion.

Imran Khan Goes To Jail

Khan, 73, has been in jail since August 2023 after he was convicted in several cases that he has claimed are politically motivated. He has since been held in Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi. Khan's family has alleged that they have not been allowed to meet him for over a month now and has demanded his proof of life.

The Adiala Jail authorities on Thursday rejected rumours about Imran Khan's health, underlining that the leader is in "completely good health".

Also Read: Amid Imran Khan's Death Rumours, Son Kasim Demands Proof Of Life

'If Anything Happens, Asim Munir Will Be Responsible'

Last year in May, the legendary cricketer, Khan, wrote an op-ed for the British newspaper, The Telegraph, accusing the Pakistan's military establishment under its army chief, Munir, of trying every tactic to decimate his party's presence from Pakistan's political environment.

Khan then went on to announce that if anything were to happen to him, Munir would be held responsible.

"The military establishment has done all they could against me. All that is left for them is to now murder me. I have stated publicly that if anything happens to me or my wife, General Asim Munir will be responsible. But I am not afraid because my faith is strong. I would prefer death over slavery," Khan wrote.

Khan's Show Of Strength From Behind The Bars

Once a World Cup-winning cricketer, Khan, has been in jail for more than 800 days now. Despite being held in solitary confinement with his party symbol banned and his speeches censored, Khan continues to command public support across Pakistan. To millions, he is no longer just a politician but the moral leader of a nation searching for justice.

Khan's Pashtun identity, belonging to the country's second-largest group, challenges the military establishment in the country. In the past, Pashtuns have alleged human rights violations and violence by the military. This led to Pashtun Tahafuz (Protection) Movement in 2020.

Also Read: The Imran Khan-Pakistan Story: A Hero, A Mystic, And A 'Field Marshal'

According to the human rights organisation, Minority Rights Group, Pashtuns have also been frequently targeted by security forces in raids and abductions, while many others have struggled with displacement and negative representations.

Additionally, demographic resentment in the country is a big worry for Munir.

When reports of Khan's death surfaced, protests erupted in the country with his supporters demanding access to the former prime minister.

Khan's third wife, Bushra Bibi, is seen as his guide. Years ago, she reportedly predicted Imran's rise to power, earning near-saintly status among supporters. Now charged with unlawful marriage and corruption, Bibi has been jailed for seven years and silenced alongside her husband.

Amid this, Khan, according to his son, is kept alone in a death cell in an environment of complete isolation. The rumours about his health and whereabouts continues.