By Staff Reporter
ISLAMABAD: As unconfirmed reports of former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s deteriorating health circulated widely on social media and in foreign outlets, both government officials and members of his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party on Thursday rejected the speculation, insisting that Mr. Khan, held in isolation at Adiala jail, remained in good condition.
The denials followed a day of mounting tensions, including a sit-in protest outside the prison led by the chief minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province, Sohail Afridi, after authorities barred him from meeting Khan for the eighth time since taking office. Khan’s sisters and legal team were also denied access, fueling concerns that gave rise to rumours of his transfer to a high-security facility, claims amplified by a Japanese newspaper and the BBC.
The phrase “Where is Imran Khan?” trended on the social media platform X on Thursday morning, reflecting growing public unease. In a statement shared by the PTI, Khan’s son, Kasim Khan, appealed to the international community and global human rights organisations to intervene. He urged them to “demand proof of life, enforce court-ordered access, end this inhumane isolation” faced by his father.
Rana Sanaullah, an adviser to the prime minister on political affairs, told a private television that Khan was fine and receiving proper care. “There is a team of doctors that checks him on a weekly and daily basis [and looks after his] medicine, diet, facilities [and] exercises,” Sanaullah said. He emphasised that Khan was getting everything befitting his position and status, and added that the PTI chief was still present in Adiala jail.
Ali Zafar, a PTI leader, also dismissed the health reports during an appearance on a private television channel. “Thank God, the news is baseless, but it is even more important after this report that the government immediately allow us the opportunity of a meeting so we can go and see ourselves,” Zafar said. He added that once a meeting was held, they could come out and tell everyone that everything was fine. “We think it is very necessary that a meeting is facilitated with Imran; it’s been a month,” he said.
The controversy spilled into the Senate, where PTI lawmakers staged a noisy protest over what they described as mistreatment of the former prime minister. The issue was raised shortly after the question hour by PTI lawmaker Faisal Javed, who claimed that Khan had been kept in solitary confinement. He regretted that nobody, including his family members, lawyers and doctors, was allowed to see him. “This is against basic human rights, court orders, the jail manual and prison rules,” Javed remarked.
Meanwhile, the sit-in outside Adiala jail, led by Afridi, drew additional support when Mehmood Khan Achakzai, leader of the Pashtunkhwa Milli Awami Party, joined the protest on Thursday night in a show of solidarity.
Achakzai warned that more sit-ins would be held across the country and “after that people will govern the country.” “It is unfortunate that the CM of a province is sitting outside the jail,” he said. “MNAs and senators were not being allowed to meet Imran Khan.”
Afridi, who replaced Ali Amin Gandapur as chief minister last month, had arrived in Rawalpindi in the morning intending to meet Khan, but the jail administration refused to allow him to proceed. The chief minister and party supporters had originally planned to march to the prison, but were stopped by a heavy contingent of police at the ‘factory naaka.’ Afridi asked the officials to inform him in writing about the decision to bar him from the meeting, despite court orders, but his request was declined.
Amid the uncertainty surrounding Khan’s health, Afridi later told reporters that he wanted to meet the PTI leader to get “actual information” from him and share it with the nation. He said he had exhausted all legal and political avenues in his attempts to gain access to the incarcerated former premier.
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