Aleema Khan, sister of former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan, has said that Pakistan’s Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) General Asim Munir is a radicalised Islamist who seeks confrontation with India. Speaking to Sky News’ programme The World with Yalda Hakim, she claimed that while Imran Khan attempted to pursue peace with neighbouring countries during his tenure, Munir is driven by ideological motivations that push Pakistan towards conflict.
In the interview, Aleema characterised Asim Munir as an Islamic conservative whose worldview, she argued, creates hostility toward nations that do not share his religious beliefs. According to her, this ideological rigidity is the primary reason Pakistan witnessed heightened tensions with India earlier in the year. She asserted that Munir’s hardline approach stands in sharp contrast to her brother’s political orientation, which she described as liberal and inclined towards regional cooperation. Aleema further contended that Imran Khan’s efforts to improve relations with India included outreach even to the BJP-led government in New Delhi. She claimed that his leadership style prioritised diplomacy, whereas Munir’s influence, in her view, risks not only escalating conflict with India but also straining relations with India’s allies. She alleged that the military leadership’s radicalisation has reshaped Pakistan’s strategic posture in a more confrontational direction.
Positioning her brother as an important national figure, Aleema urged Western governments to intensify efforts to secure his release. Imran Khan, founder of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and former Prime Minister, has been imprisoned since August 2023 following convictions in multiple cases. He is currently being held at the high-security Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi. In recent weeks, the PTI has raised concerns that Imran Khan’s family members were denied access to him for over a month, triggering widespread speculation about his well-being and even rumours of his death in custody. After significant public pressure, jail authorities allowed one of his sisters, Dr. Uzma Khan, to meet him on Tuesday.
Following the half-hour visit, Dr. Uzma Khan told reporters that Imran Khan appeared physically fine but was distressed by what she described as mental harassment inside the prison. She said he was confined to his cell for most of the day, permitted limited time outdoors, and was not allowed to interact freely with others. These claims have fuelled further criticism of the government’s handling of the former prime minister’s incarceration.
