PTI’s overture: missed opportunity or start of real reconciliation?

The PTI has extended an olive branch to Field Marshal Gen Asim Munir. Will this shift in stance prove to be a real turning point for Imran Khan and company, or is it a case of too little, too late?

OPINION, May 22, 2025

By Nizamuddin Siddiqui

FOUNDER of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and former prime minister, Imran Khan, has long asserted his determination to fight “till the last delivery”. Most observers who have tracked his transition from a cricketing hero to a populist politician would concede that his tenacity is beyond doubt.

However, one must now ask: must every political situation be played to the last ball? It is a question Khan himself ought to ponder. Alongside the celebrated virtue of perseverance, a seasoned statesman must also possess the political intuition to identify — and seize — the right moment for reconciliation. Knowing when to pause and engage can be just as critical as knowing when to resist.

While Khan has, on occasion, gestured towards reconciliation, these overtures have been tentative, reluctant, and laced with mistrust — particularly towards the military leadership, and most notably General Asim Munir. The prevailing impression is of a leader who remains stoically combative, even when pragmatism might serve him better.

For its part, the military has shown little appetite for rapprochement. Therefore, the relationship between Khan and the military establishment has remained confrontational.

This backdrop is especially relevant given the recent opportunities for bridge-building. During the tense military standoff with India, when Pakistani and Indian forces stood eyeball to eyeball, PTI could have chosen to publicly stand with the armed forces — a gesture of national unity that might have transcended political divisions. Such a moment called for statesmanship. Instead, PTI largely remained silent.

Had Imran Khan stepped forward at that juncture with a message of solidarity, it could have been perceived as a sign of political maturity — a move prioritising the nation over personal or partisan stakes. That moment, however, has now passed.

Nevertheless, on Wednesday, PTI Chairman Gohar Ali Khan extended belated congratulations to Chief of Army Staff General Asim Munir on his elevation to the rank of Field Marshal. Speaking to journalists outside Adiala Jail following a meeting with Imran Khan, Gohar remarked that the new honour brought with it an even greater responsibility “to improve the situation”.

The federal government’s decision to promote General Munir to the rank of Field Marshal — a title previously conferred only on General Ayub Khan in 1959 — was described as recognition of his “strategic leadership and decisive role” in the recent military confrontation with India.

Talking to the media, Gohar said: “A long time has passed. The PTI is a major party, and Khan Sahib remains the most popular leader in the country. We want these difficulties to end. With this honour comes greater responsibility for the Army Chief to play a vital role in stabilising the situation.”

Responding to a journalist’s query, he added: “Khan Sahib said only yesterday that we stand with our armed forces. Anyone associated with them should remain uncontroversial. We have no dispute with the military.”

Although formal channels of communication with the establishment remain dormant, Gohar expressed hope: “Khan Sahib has always maintained that the door to dialogue was never shut.”

When asked about the military’s involvement in politics, Gohar remarked: “Everyone agrees that the military should not be involved in politics. But I would add — whatever happens now must transcend politics. The military is a central institution — past, present, and future. I urge those who can help to do so.”

This reporter feels that PTI may have missed a critical opportunity. But its delayed gesture could still open the door to a broader political settlement. For the sake of national cohesion and stability, one hopes that Field Marshal Munir responds not with resentment, but with magnanimity. A single message — let bygones be bygones — could shift the tone of Pakistan’s political discourse.

Then again, as the old proverb goes: If wishes were horses, beggars would ride.