Imran Khan’s rising popularity from behind bars has rattled Pakistan’s establishment, as experts warn Field Marshal Asim Munir may see the jailed ex-PM as his biggest threat yet.
New Delhi: Two days after Field Marshal Asim Munir’s elevation as Pakistan’s first Chief of Defence Forces (CDF), an unexpected narrative is taking shape—one that places jailed former prime minister Imran Khan at the heart of Pakistan’s most consequential power struggle in decades.
Despite being behind bars since August 2023, Khan continues to loom large over Pakistan’s political and military landscape. And now, experts believe his influence presents a challenge not just to his political rivals—but to the country’s most powerful military chief in its history.
‘Imran Khan Continues To Be a Threat Even Within Jail’
Major General Ashok Kumar (Retd), Director General of the Centre for Joint Warfare Studies (CENJOWS), paints a stark picture of the crisis brewing in Pakistan’s corridors of power.
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“Imran Khan and other members of his party PTI have been jailed by the Government of Pakistan, albeit on the behest of Field Marshal Asim Munir. The revolt led by members of PTI as well as general public had played havoc, paralysing the entire Pakistan government including their Army.”
He argues that Khan’s enduring popularity is precisely what has spooked Pakistan’s ruling establishment.
“Having realised the potential of rising support of public for Imran Khan, the Pakistani establishment led by their Army went all out against Imran Khan who still enjoys popular support in Pakistan including having his party government in one of the most sensitive state on the western border,” he said.
According to Kumar, the goal of the state machinery is clear:
“The Pakistani government is trying to break Imran Khan by multiple means including not allowing anyone to meet him. Recent surge in the public forced the Government to allow his sister to meet him recently.”
His most alarming claim, however, concerns Khan’s future.
“It appears that Asim Munir will either try to eliminate Imran Khan or force him to be exiled. In case they don't succeed, return of Imran Khan to power is near certain. If it happens, Asim Munir may have also to face the brunt. It is due to these reasons, Imran Khan continues to be a threat even when inside the jail,” he said.
A Constitutional Coup? The 27th Amendment and Munir’s Unprecedented Power
Pakistan’s parliament recently passed the controversial 27th Amendment—described by critics as a “constitutional coup.” The amendment effectively cements the military’s dominance over Pakistan’s political system in perpetuity.
There is, as experts warn, only one true beneficiary: Field Marshal Asim Munir.
Already holding the distinction of being the first CDF, Munir now presides over unprecedented consolidated authority—control over the Army, Navy, Air Force, and strategic nuclear assets.
His rise, while celebrated by some institutional loyalists, has triggered quiet unease across civil society and the political class.
Pakistan’s Most Dangerous Standoff in Decades
Between a military chief who now enjoys historic constitutional and operational power, and a jailed former prime minister whose popularity refuses to fade, Pakistan stands at a crossroads.
On one side: a security establishment determined to silence dissent under the banner of national security. On the other: a political movement that sees Khan as the only genuine alternative to military-backed rule.
Maj Gen Ashok Kumar sums it up as a clash that could define Pakistan’s next decade.
At its core, this is not merely a contest of institutions—but of personalities, loyalties, and the competing visions of two powerful men.
And as things stand, even behind bars, Imran Khan remains the one threat Asim Munir cannot neutralise without risking an even bigger backlash.
