By Staff Reporter
ISLAMABAD: The opposition Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party called on the government on Thursday to dispel persistent rumours about the health of its imprisoned founder, Imran Khan, and to allow his family to meet with him, as unverified claims about the former prime minister’s condition spread across social media and drew attention from some foreign outlets.
The demand came amid growing unease from Khan’s supporters, including his sisters, who have been repeatedly denied access to him in recent weeks and have staged sit-ins outside Adiala jail in Rawalpindi, where he is held. Speculation about his whereabouts intensified on Thursday morning, with the phrase “Where is Imran Khan?” trending on the social media platform X. Several accounts on X shared unsubstantiated assertions of his death, while Indian media outlets reported on the alleged rumours.
In a statement posted early Thursday on X, the party described the rumours as being of a “despicable nature” and attributed them to “Afghan and Indian media, and foreign social media accounts.” The party urged the “current government and the interior ministry immediately and clearly dismiss and clarify the rumour and immediately arrange a meeting between Imran and his family.”
It further insisted that “a formal and transparent statement should be issued on behalf of the state regarding the health, security and current status of Imran.” The party also called for an investigation into those responsible for spreading rumours of a “sensitive nature” and demanded that the “facts be presented before the nation.”
Warning of broader unrest, the statement added that “the nation will not tolerate any uncertainty regarding the status of its leader (Imran).” It emphasised that “the government is directly responsible for protecting Imran’s security, human rights and constitutional rights,” and vowed that the PTI would take “every legal and political step to counter these rumours and bring the truth to light.”
Meher Bano Qureshi, a PTI leader and the daughter of former foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, echoed the concerns in a post on X, saying the rumors about Khan’s health were troubling. “The government is responsible for Khan sahib’s safety and is duty-bound to issue a statement updating the nation,” she wrote. “As far as putting an end to these rumours goes, the best, most credible way possible is to allow Khan sahib’s sisters, lawyers and party members to meet with him.”
Officials at Adiala jail sought to quash the speculation on Wednesday, issuing a statement that dismissed reports suggesting Khan had been transferred from the facility. “There is no truth to reports about his transfer from Adiala jail,” the officials said, adding: “He is fully healthy and receiving complete medical attention.” They described the speculation about his health as “baseless,” and stressed that the well-being of the PTI founder was being ensured.
Khan, 73, has been incarcerated at Adiala jail since August 2023, following his ouster as prime minister in April 2022 through a no-confidence motion led by the opposition. He faces a range of charges, including corruption and terrorism, and is currently serving a sentence in a £190 million corruption case. He also awaits trials under the Anti-Terrorism Act related to protests on May 9, 2023.
On Wednesday, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, a leader of the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz party, responded to a video circulating on X in which Khan criticised former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif for seeking amenities during his own time in prison. Asif claimed that Khan enjoyed privileges in jail, saying: “He (Imran) himself has a TV in his jail cell … and his food comes from outside.” He added: “There are exercise machines available for him as well.”
Drawing a contrast with his own imprisonment, Asif recalled: “We used to sleep on the cold floor and eat the food [prepared] at the jail.” He continued: “It was the month of January, and we had only two blankets, and there was no hot water.”
Asif alleged that Khan had “a double bed and velvet bedding,” and that the jail superintendent personally attended to him. He urged the PTI founder to “listen to his own speech on the jail’s loudspeaker,” adding that “he (Imran) should fear God.”
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