A storm of controversy has erupted across Pakistan following reports of former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s alleged death in Rawalpindi’s Adiala Jail. Adding to the tension, his three sisters claim they have repeatedly been denied permission to meet their brother. They also allege that they were physically assaulted by police while demanding permission for a jail visit.
The violent clash with security forces outside Adiala Jail has deepened the mystery surrounding Imran Khan’s condition. Panic has spread among supporters of Imran Khan and his party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI). Thousands of PTI leaders and activists have gathered near the jail, escalating tensions across the nation.
In response, the Adiala Jail authorities issued a statement claiming that Imran Khan is indeed inside Adiala Jail. They dismissed reports of his transfer to another location as false. According to the statement, Imran Khan is in good health and is receiving all necessary medical care. They called reports of his illness baseless and insisted he is safe.
Despite the clarification, the situation outside the jail remains heated as PTI supporters continue to demand proof of his wellbeing.
On social media platform X, Imran Khan’s youngest son, Qasim, issued a strong statement, saying the family has been denied access to Imran Khan and that there is “no proof” he is alive. He accused authorities of deliberately keeping the situation “in the dark.”
Qasim, who lives outside Pakistan and avoids active politics, wrote that Imran Khan has been imprisoned for 845 days and has been kept in solitary confinement in a “death cell” for the last six weeks. He claimed that despite court orders, the family’s legal right to meet him is being denied.
He further stated that for over a month, the government has imposed an unannounced ban on family visits. “No phone calls, no meetings, and no proof of life,” he wrote.
Issuing a warning, Qasim said the Pakistan government and its “handlers” will bear full legal, moral, and international responsibility for anything that happens to Imran Khan’s safety.
Calling for urgent global intervention, he appealed to the international community and human rights organisations to confirm proof of life, enforce court-ordered visitation rights, end this inhumane isolation, and demand the release of Pakistan’s most popular political leader who is imprisoned for political reasons.
Imran Khan lost his premiership in 2022 following a no-confidence vote. He was subsequently charged with corruption and several other cases, including allegations of attacking the military headquarters and leaking state secrets.
After intense political turmoil, he was arrested in 2023—released once, then rearrested. Since August 2023, he has remained behind bars.
