Islamabad: Former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan’s son Kasim Khan on November 27, issued a public appeal over the mistreatment of his father in Adiala Jail, claiming that the 73-year-old has been held in "solitary confinement" for weeks with no access to family members or confirmation of his condition. His statement comes amid buzzing rumours of his father's death, with unverified posts falsely claiming that he has been killed in custody. However, prison authorities have denied these speculations.
Concerns also grew among Khan's family members, party leaders and provincial officials who say an undeclared blackout surrounds Khan’s status. They claim that repeated court orders permitting meetings have been ignored by the prison,
Kasim Khan alleges ‘death cell’ isolation
In a post on X, Kasim Khan said his father has been detained for 845 days and has spent the past six weeks in solitary confinement “in a death cell”. He said authorities had blocked all visits, adding that Khan’s sisters had been refused access and that his sons had “no contact” and “no proof of life”. He wrote that the blackout was “a deliberate attempt to hide his condition” and warned that the government and “its handlers” would be held responsible. He called on international human rights groups and democratic governments to intervene and demanded immediate proof of life.
Khan’s sister Noreen Niazi told ANI that Pakistan was operating under “extreme” censorship. She alleged that journalists were being detained and pressured into silence and said some well known reporters had left the country with their documents and assets blocked. Drawing a historical comparison, she said, “We used to hear and read about Hitler… the same thing is happening in Pakistan.”
PTI leaders escalate pressure as jail rejects claims
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chief minister Sohail Afridi also tried to meet Khan for the eighth time on Thursday, staging a dharna near Adiala Jail after being stopped by police and being allegedly beaten. He said authorities were defying court orders and questioned why a representative of “25 million people” was being denied access. PTI leaders including Zulfi Bukhari and Meher Bano Qureshi demanded a clear and transparent statement on Khan’s health.
Adiala Jail officials dismissed allegations of mistreatment and described widespread speculation as “baseless”. They said Khan remained in “completely good health” inside the facility and had not been moved or faced any medical emergency. Rumours escalated further after Khan’s three sisters alleged they were dragged and assaulted during a protest outside the jail last week.
