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Pakistan’s former Prime Minister Imran Khan will not engage in a fresh confrontation with the country’s military or Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir if he is released from prison, according to his close aide and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) spokesperson Zulfiqar Bukhari. His remarks are being seen as one of the strongest indications so far that Imran’s party may be seeking to normalize its relationship with the military.
In an interview with Reuters on Wednesday, Bukhari said Imran Khan would not take any action that could harm the country if he were released. He would control his personal pain and anger in the national interest.
“This does not mean you will confront the military leadership. You have to control your pain, suppress your suffering and accept it for the sake of the country’s welfare,” he said.
Bukhari made the remarks at a time when Pakistan’s Supreme Court has ordered that Imran Khan be transferred from prison to a hospital for medical treatment. Analysts see the court’s decision as a possible step toward reducing the long-running tensions between Imran and the military establishment.
Relations between Imran Khan and Pakistan’s military leadership have been bitter for years. Since he was removed from power through a parliamentary no-confidence vote in 2022, he has faced a series of legal cases. After his arrest in 2023, his supporters staged widespread protests against Army Chief Asim Munir.
Many of Imran’s supporters believe that his confrontation with the military leadership is the main reason he ended up in prison. Imran himself has repeatedly attacked Munir in strong terms. In a statement attributed to him last November, he described Munir as one of the most “authoritarian dictators” in history. He also accused the authorities of subjecting him and his wife to various forms of mistreatment.
At the time, Imran said that no matter what was done to him, he would never bow before the military leadership.
However, a different tone is now emerging from one of his closest aides. Does this mean the military and Imran’s party have reached an understanding?
Bukhari described Asim Munir as the most powerful person in Pakistan. He said the army chief could bring about major changes in the country’s political situation if he wanted to. However, he made it clear that there has been no agreement or dialogue between the PTI and the military.
The Pakistani government and military did not immediately comment on Bukhari’s remarks. The military has long maintained that it does not interfere in politics, while the government has said that the cases against Imran are matters for the courts.
## Supreme Court Decision Raises New Hope
Last Tuesday, Pakistan’s Supreme Court ordered that 73-year-old Imran Khan be transferred from prison to a private hospital within 48 hours for medical treatment.
PTI spokesperson Bukhari described the court’s decision as a “new ray of hope.” He also said the party would comply with the court’s directive not to allow party activists to gather outside the hospital. Imran was transferred to a hospital late Thursday night.
Some analysts see the decision to transfer Imran to a hospital as a possible first step toward easing tensions between the military and the PTI. However, there is considerable doubt over whether it will lead to a lasting solution to Pakistan’s prolonged political crisis.
## It Is Unclear How Much Imran’s Position Has Changed
Analysts have cautioned that the current statements from PTI leaders may not necessarily reflect Imran Khan’s personal position.
Many senior party leaders are in hiding to avoid arrest, while others remain in prison. Government crackdowns have also significantly weakened the PTI’s organizational structure.
Michael Kugelman, a senior fellow at the Atlantic Council, said it remains unclear how united the PTI leadership could be in any potential talks or agreement while Imran remains behind bars.
Bukhari himself is living in self-imposed exile in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. He claims that senior PTI leaders have been unable to speak directly with Imran for nearly eight months.
Human rights organizations have alleged that Imran has been kept largely in isolation for an extended period. As a result, there has been no direct statement from him clarifying his current political position.
## PTI to Resume Protests in September
Although the PTI has signaled a possible reduction in confrontation with the military for now, it is not abandoning its protest campaign.
Bukhari said the party would organize a nationwide march on September 27. He said the program would go ahead regardless of whether Imran is taken to hospital.
The demands will include ensuring Imran’s medical treatment in accordance with court orders, allowing him to meet his family members, doctors, lawyers and party leaders, and expediting hearings in his cases. The protesters will also demand his release.
According to Bukhari, senior PTI leaders who are in hiding will either participate in the program or play a role in organizing it. He said some of the leaders may soon emerge from hiding. Even if they do not appear publicly, he added, they will remain actively involved in organizing the movement.
Imran Khan was removed from power through a parliamentary no-confidence vote in 2022. More than a hundred cases were subsequently filed against him. He has been imprisoned at Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi since August 2024.
He is currently serving a 14-year sentence in a £190 million corruption case. His wife, Bushra Bibi, has also been sentenced to seven years in the same case. Most of his sentences in these cases have been suspended or overturned, although appeals in several matters are still pending.