'Radicalised Islamist': Imran Khan's Sister Aleema Blames Pakistan Army Chief Asim Munir For India Tensions

Last Updated:December 03, 2025, 19:56 IST

Aleema characterised her brother, Imran Khan, as a 'pure liberal' who genuinely sought peace and friendship with New Delhi, including the ruling BJP

This extraordinary public denunciation came barely a day after Aleema Khanum’s sister, Uzma Khanum, was permitted to meet Imran Khan in Adiala Jail. File image: Reuters/AFP

In an explosive interview given to Sky News, Aleema Khanum, the sister of jailed former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan, launched a scathing attack on Pakistan’s Army Chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir, labelling him a “radicalised Islamist" who allegedly yearns for a “full-scale war with India". This bold claim by the family member of the imprisoned leader elevates the internal political feud into a matter of regional security and strategic divergence concerning India.

Aleema directly contrasted two of the most prominent figures in Pakistan today, characterising her brother, Imran Khan, as a “pure liberal" who genuinely sought peace and friendship with New Delhi, including the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). She asserted that whenever Imran Khan was in power, he consistently attempted to normalise ties with India. Conversely, she claimed that the Army Chief’s “Islamic radicalisation and conservatism" are the primary drivers compelling him to escalate tensions and risk conflict with India and its allies.

This extraordinary public denunciation came barely a day after Aleema Khanum’s sister, Uzma Khanum, was permitted to meet Imran Khan in Adiala Jail following massive international pressure—a sign, according to the Khan family, that the military establishment is feeling the heat.

The context for Aleema’s allegations is rooted in the high-tension military standoff between India and Pakistan in 2025. Following the Pahalgam terror attack in Kashmir, which left 26 civilians dead, India launched Operation Sindoor, striking deep inside Pakistani territory and targeting terror camps and military sites. The Indian action was viewed as a decisive move away from strategic restraint, a posture that many analysts believe was necessitated by the escalation in rhetoric from General Munir.

Munir’s past statements—including his assertion that Kashmir was the “jugular vein" of Pakistan and his highlighting of the “stark differences between Hindus and Muslims"—have been widely perceived as inflammatory and contributing to the radicalisation climate. Aleema’s interview effectively argues that the current tension between the two nuclear-armed neighbours is a direct consequence of Munir’s personal ideology, contrasting it sharply with Imran Khan’s more secular and conciliatory approach to foreign policy.

By calling Imran Khan an “asset" and a “pure liberal", Aleema explicitly called upon Western powers to intensify efforts for his release, arguing that his return to power is essential for regional stability and preventing a catastrophic conflict. The interview, thus, serves as a dual-purpose political manoeuvre: an attack on the legitimacy of Field Marshal Munir’s consolidation of power and an urgent plea to the international community to intervene in Pakistan’s domestic crisis.

News world 'Radicalised Islamist': Imran Khan's Sister Aleema Blames Pakistan Army Chief Asim Munir For India Tensions

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