Should have called himself ‘king’: Imran Khan aims dig at Pakistan army chief

Pakistan’s former prime minister Imran Khan has taken a swipe at Army chief Gen Asim Munir, saying he should have given himself the title of “king” instead of field marshal.

In a post on X, he also said Pakistan is currently governed by “jungle law”, Indian broadcaster NDTV reports.

Imprisoned since August 2023, Khan dismissed rumours of an ongoing deal between him and the military, saying: “No deal has taken place, nor is any dialogue underway.”

However, he openly invited the military establishment for talks if it genuinely cared about Pakistan’s future.

Gen Munir was promoted to the rank of field marshal on Tuesday for his role in the recent conflict with India, becoming the second military officer in Pakistan’s history after Ayub Khan to receive the title.

“The country is facing external threats, a surge in terrorism, and an economic crisis. We must unite,” he said.

He also warned the Shehbaz Sharif government about fresh attacks from India and asked them to be prepared.

“When you send the message that the bigger the thief, the higher the office they'll hold — you bury justice.”

Pakistan's moral and constitutional framework has been destroyed over the past three years, he added.

He continued, “If you claim to be against terrorism, then do not drop bombs on the homes of your own people.”

He claimed to have received reports of drone attacks in parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and instructed the provincial government to formally protest and act promptly to halt the strikes.