As Field Marshal Asim rises, Imran remains isolated in defiance

While Gen Asim Munir is promoted, Imran Khan remains defiant, resisting calls from party colleagues to adopt a more conciliatory tone

SITUATIONER

May 23, 2025

AT a time when Army Chief General Asim Munir has formally been elevated to the rank of field marshal, the founder of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), Imran Khan, has once again demonstrated his unyielding resolve to “fight until the last ball is bowled” — a decision that now risks isolating him further from the power structure at great personal cost.

By now, it is widely acknowledged across Pakistan that the individual who has gained the most stature in the wake of Narendra Modi’s ill-fated military adventure of May 7-10 is none other than the army chief. Yet, the PTI supremo shows no sign of moderating his tone or approach.

At a formal investiture ceremony held at Aiwan-e-Sadr on Thursday, Gen Asim was presented with a ceremonial baton, marking his elevation to field marshal. The baton was handed to him jointly by President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. The event was attended by a host of dignitaries, including members of the federal cabinet, former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, governors of the four provinces, chief ministers, and foreign diplomats.

During the ceremony, Prime Minister Sharif declared: “Today is a historic and proud day. We honour the services of our heroes, and this event is a continuation of that tradition. The military leadership has secured a remarkable victory against the enemy. I commend the leadership of the field marshal. Under his command, our forces achieved a historic success.”

President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif presenting the baton to Gen Asim Munir

Far removed from the pomp and ceremony, Imran Khan remained confined to his cell in Adiala Jail, reflecting on his political future. The day prior, he had defied the counsel of PTI’s acting chairman, Barrister Gohar Ali Khan, and publicly criticised the government’s decision to bestow such an honour on his principal adversary.

According to Dawn.com, Khan condemned the promotion during a jailhouse meeting with lawyers, relatives, and journalists. He also issued a post on X (formerly Twitter), suggesting it would have been more apt to declare Gen Asim a “king”, claiming the country was being run according to “the law of the jungle”. He added that, under such a law, “there is only one king”.

Although Khan does not operate his X account directly, the party has never disclosed the identity of his social media handler.

The former premier’s combative stance stands in contrast to the more conciliatory tone adopted by senior party figures, particularly Barrister Gohar, who also visited Khan in jail. Speaking to a local news channel, Gohar acknowledged Gen Asim’s promotion as an honour granted by Allah and expressed hope for national reconciliation. “I request everyone to help improve and normalise the country’s situation,” he said. On behalf of PTI, he also formally congratulated the army chief.

Meanwhile, the country’s most respected newspaper, Dawn, took Khan to task for his ill-judged criticism, especially at a time when tensions with India remain high. In a measured editorial, the paper asked: “Why can’t the PTI and its jailed leader decide what they want? Even as their leverage wanes, the party remains torn between negotiation and resistance.”

The editorial continued: “PTI claims that the state must engage with it for the national interest, but fails to articulate what it is willing to concede in return. It is unjustifiable to reduce politics to a zero-sum contest between PTI and all others. Meanwhile, Imran Khan’s cryptic statements — often echoed through social media — undermine the efforts of his own party leaders to initiate dialogue. This erratic approach is exacting a cost on the party. Progress remains elusive.”

What the PTI founder must come to terms with is that he and his party are at risk of sliding into irrelevance. In direct contrast, the army chief’s standing among the public is rising, buoyed by his commendable leadership during Pakistan’s recent confrontation with its nuclear-armed neighbour.