`Imran Khan`s Health Stable, But Facing Mental Torture`, Claims Sister After Jail Meet
Former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan is reportedly in good health and has met his sister, Dr Uzma Khanum, according to Dawn News on Tuesday evening. The meeting comes after weeks of speculation about Khan’s condition, intensified by reports that his family had been barred from visiting him for several weeks.
The unrest surrounding Khan’s health followed protests by his supporters in Islamabad and Rawalpindi, which prompted authorities to impose restrictions on large gatherings. Despite these measures, PTI followers continued to agitate outside the Islamabad High Court earlier in the day.
Concerns about Khan’s well-being escalated last month when three of his sisters, Noreen Niazi, Aleema Khan, and Uzma Khan, claimed they were assaulted while attempting to meet him. His sons also raised alarms, suggesting that jail authorities were concealing “something irreversible” about their father’s condition. One son, Kasim Khan, told Reuters that there had been no verifiable contact despite a court order mandating weekly visits. The family also reported that Khan’s personal doctor had been denied access.
Prior to Tuesday’s meeting, neither Khan’s family nor members of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) had seen him for over 25 days, fuelling rumours that the former Prime Minister may have died, with speculation suggesting authorities were attempting a cover-up due to his popularity. Pressure intensified on Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s government, with PTI Senator Khurram Zeeshan claiming that Khan was being kept in isolation as a strategy to coerce him into leaving Pakistan. Zeeshan alleged that the government felt threatened by Khan’s widespread support and therefore avoided sharing proof of life.
Khan, a 72-year-old World Cup-winning cricketer turned politician, has been imprisoned since August 2023. Rumours of his death circulated on social media accounts from Afghanistan, where tensions over a border dispute with Pakistan remain high.
On Tuesday, Uzma Khan was finally allowed to meet her brother in Adiala Jail, as PTI members had threatened mass protests despite restrictions in Rawalpindi. Speaking to reporters after the visit, she confirmed that Khan was being kept in solitary confinement and subjected to mental pressure but was otherwise in good health. “Imran Khan is fine, his health is good. He has been kept in solitary confinement, he is being tortured mentally,” she said, putting an end to circulating death rumours.
Earlier reports suggested that the jail authorities had granted the meeting under strict conditions, but Uzma clarified, “No conditions were imposed. We don’t go by conditions.” She described the relief of finally being allowed to meet her brother amid a heavily guarded prison complex.
The weeks preceding the meeting had been marked by heightened tensions around Adiala Jail, with more than 700 security personnel deployed, additional checkpoints set up, and protests by Khan’s sisters and PTI workers. Last week, his sisters alleged that they were manhandled and briefly detained by police while staging demonstrations.
Source: Zee News