Advisor to the Prime Minister on Political and Public Affairs Rana Sanaullah claimed on Thursday that letters sent to the Chief of Army Staff (Coas) General Asim Munir of the Pakistan Tehreek-In-Insaf (PTI) founder IMRAN KAN was an attempt at “Spread Anti-Army Propaganda.

His remarks followed an informal statement from the army chief earlier in the day who refused to receive any letter from the imprisoned former prime minister. General Munir stated that even if he were to receive such a letter, he would not read it.

In response to this, Sanaullah said the army chief had given a “short and comprehensive answer” to Khan’s open letters. In a speech with a local TV channel, he characterized the open letters from the former prime minister as part of a “tale against” the military.

He suggested that the PTI founder use such tactics to push his propaganda. According to the Prime Minister’s aid, the letters were first issued to the media, a step he described as the aim of spreading a false tale.

Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader also rejected the idea that these letters were an attempt at back door conversations and claimed that PTI did not intend to apologize for its anti-military attitude or events in May 9, 2023.

Meanwhile, PTI’s parliamentary leader, Senator Ali Zafar, defended the open letters and emphasized that it was Imran Khan’s right as a former prime minister to raise concern.

He also argued that open letters are a common practice globally and that the purpose of such letters was not necessarily to expect an answer.

Khan, who has been jailed since August 2023 on charges ranging from corruption to terrorism, wrote three open letters to Coas.

The latest letter repeated allegations of choosing rigging and manipulation in which Khan accuses the government of bringing “laundering” to power. The letter raised concerns about the preference of minorities over the majority in electoral processes.

In his previous letters, Khan pointed out a growing distance between the military and the public, calling on the army to reassess its policies and adopt proposals to improve his public image. He presented six points and sought a reassessment of the military’s approach to win back public support.

The letters have taken an extra significance since PTI stopped the negotiations with the PML-N-led government, where the party had demanded the formation of legal commissions to investigate events 9 May 2023 and November 2024, as well as the release of all political prisoners, including Khan.

In December 2024, Director -General of Public Relations Director -General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry responded to questions about potential back door talks between PTI and the military, saying that no political leaders’ personal ambitions should take precedence for Pakistan’s national interests.