On February 28, 2025, TIME published a powerful letter from Imran Khan, Pakistan’s former prime minister, written from the confines of a solitary cell in Adiala Jail, Rawalpindi. Titled “From Prison, Imran Khan Reminds Us to Pay Attention to Pakistan,” the piece is both a personal testament and a global alarm bell. Khan, incarcerated since August 2023 and recently sentenced to 14 years in a land corruption case, alleges that Pakistan has slid into authoritarian rule under a military-backed regime. His words—penned amid what he calls politically motivated persecution—raise urgent questions about democracy, regional stability, and the world’s responsibility to act.
A Nation Under Siege
Khan’s letter paints a grim picture: “From my confinement in a solitary cell, I witness the heartbreaking reality of a nation gripped by authoritarian rule.” He accuses Pakistan’s judiciary of becoming a tool of oppression, its parliament a hollow shell rubber-stamping draconian laws, and its military of overstepping constitutional bounds to suppress dissent. The charges against him—over 200 by his count, with the latest Al-Qadir Trust case landing him and his wife, Bushra Bibi, 14 and 7 years respectively—are, he insists, fabricated to silence his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party and the democratic aspirations of millions.
This isn’t a new narrative in Pakistan’s turbulent history. The military has long played kingmaker, toppling civilian governments through coups (e.g., Zia-ul-Haq in 1977, Musharraf in 1999) or pulling strings from the shadows. Khan himself rose to power in 2018 with alleged military backing, only to fall out with the establishment after his 2022 ouster via a no-confidence vote. Now, he’s flipped the script, positioning himself as a martyr for democracy—a claim that resonates with his fervent base but draws skepticism from critics who see opportunism in his defiance.
The Stakes: Beyond Pakistan’s Borders
Khan’s letter isn’t just a domestic lament; it’s a geopolitical warning. “A destabilized Pakistan threatens regional security, disrupts trade, and weakens global democratic values,” he writes. This isn’t hyperbole. Pakistan, a nuclear-armed nation of 240 million, sits at a crossroads—bordering India, China, Afghanistan, and Iran. Its instability could ripple outward, disrupting trade corridors like the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) or fueling extremism in a region already scarred by Taliban resurgence next door in Afghanistan.
Human Rights Watch and other watchdogs have documented Pakistan’s recent slide: mass arrests of PTI supporters, media censorship, and military trials of civilians following protests in May 2023 and November 2024. Khan’s nephew was among 60 sentenced to a decade in prison by a military court in December 2024, a move decried internationally as a violation of due process. Meanwhile, legislation curbing judicial independence and criminalizing dissent—branded “anti-state” activity—has deepened the crisis. Khan’s assertion that “the last vestiges of democracy have been erased” finds echoes in these reports, though the government insists it’s maintaining order amid PTI-led chaos.
A Call to the World—and Trump
Khan’s appeal extends beyond Pakistan’s borders, notably to U.S. President Donald Trump, sworn in for his second term in January 2025. “Pakistan needs U.S. support for democracy and economic freedom,” he urges, pitching a stable, democratic Pakistan as a global asset. This isn’t a random plea—Khan and Trump share a history of rapport from 2018-2020, and PTI supporters see Trump’s “America First” ethos aligning with their anti-establishment fight. Trump allies like Richard Grenell, named special envoy for global missions, have amplified the “Free Imran Khan” call on X, stirring hope among PTI’s diaspora in the U.S.
Yet, the U.S. angle is complicated. Washington has long balanced support for Pakistan’s military (a counterterrorism ally) with tepid criticism of its democratic backsliding. A 2024 congressional hearing on Pakistan’s contested February elections—prompted by bipartisan pressure—signaled concern, but tangible action remains elusive. Trump’s focus on trade and investment might sway him toward Khan’s vision, but his administration’s realpolitik could just as easily prioritize stability over democratic idealism, leaving Khan’s plea unanswered.
The People’s Pulse
Khan’s letter hinges on a bold claim: “The people of Pakistan see through the lies—they will not accept this tyranny.” His PTI has sustained mass mobilization despite crackdowns, with protests in Islamabad drawing thousands in late 2024, met with tear gas and gunfire. On X, #FreeImranKhan trends regularly, reflecting a vocal base that views him as Pakistan’s last democratic hope. Yet, polls and remittances tell a mixed story. Despite Khan’s December 2024 call for a diaspora boycott of remittances to pressure the government, inflows hit record highs in early 2025, per Al Jazeera—suggesting even supporters prioritize family over politics.
Critics, meanwhile, question Khan’s narrative. His tenure saw economic woes, alleged corruption (the very charge now jailing him), and a cozy military alliance until it soured. Is his prison defiance genuine, or a bid to reclaim power? The Al-Qadir Trust case, involving £190 million and lucrative land deals, is dismissed by PTI as baseless, but courts have ruled otherwise. The truth remains murky, clouded by Pakistan’s polarized lens.
A Path Forward?
Khan rejects compromise—“I refused” house arrest for PTI’s “political space,” he writes—betting instead on public resistance to restore democracy. His February 13, 2025, open letter to Army Chief General Asim Munir (posted on X) doubles down, decrying alleged prison abuses like solitary confinement in a death-row cell and urging the military to retreat to its constitutional role. Whether this gambit succeeds hinges on three forces: the Pakistani people’s endurance, the military’s calculus, and the world’s attention.
The global stakes Khan outlines are real, but his solutions are vague—rallying cries more than policy. Restoring democracy sounds noble, but Pakistan’s history suggests it’s a Sisyphean task without dismantling the military’s entrenched power, a feat no leader has achieved. The world may “pay attention,” as Khan pleads, but attention alone won’t rewind authoritarianism. Trade sanctions, diplomatic pressure, or U.S. leverage could shift the needle, yet such moves risk backfiring in a fragile state.
Conclusion: A Cry Heard, but Will It Be Heeded?
Imran Khan’s prison letter is a clarion call—raw, resolute, and reverberating beyond his cell. It’s a reminder that Pakistan’s crisis isn’t just a local squabble but a test of global democratic resolve. His steadfastness inspires, yet the odds loom large: a military unmoved, a judiciary compromised, and an international community distracted. As Khan endures, the question lingers—will Pakistan’s people, and the world, rise to his challenge, or will his voice fade into the echoes of a democracy lost?
