Pakistan on Friday summoned Britain’s deputy high commissioner, Matt Cannell, following a viral video in which a woman at a rally in Bradford, England, threatened the country’s army chief, General Asim Munir, with a possible car-bomb attack.
The Foreign Ministry demanded that the U.K. investigate the woman’s remarks. The rally, organized in support of imprisoned former Prime Minister Imran Khan, took place days after a Pakistani court sentenced Khan and his wife, Bushra Bibi, to 17 years in prison over allegations of illegally retaining and selling state gifts, including jewelry from Saudi Arabia.
Deputy Interior Minister Talal Chaudhry told Geo Television that while Khan’s party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), has frequently incited supporters against the military, the “car bomb threat” crossed all limits and did not fall under freedom of speech.
The U.K. High Commission in Islamabad responded that any material appearing to violate U.K. law would be reviewed by police, and appropriate legal action could follow.
Tensions between Khan and the military have intensified recently. Army spokesperson Lt. Gen. Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry labeled Khan “mentally ill” after posts on Khan’s X account described Munir as “mentally unstable.” Many PTI supporters accuse Munir of orchestrating their leader’s imprisonment.
Munir, who gained prominence earlier this year after Pakistan repelled Indian strikes during a four-day border conflict, remains a central figure in the nation’s security apparatus. Khan has repeatedly claimed his ouster in 2022 was part of a U.S.-backed conspiracy supported by the military, a charge denied by Washington, the military, and domestic political rivals.