 "(File) Congress MP Shashi Tharoor")
Congress MP Shashi Tharoor has voiced concern over the growing uncertainty surrounding the health and whereabouts of Pakistan’s former prime minister Imran Khan, as speculation, secrecy and a lack of official clarity fuel anxiety across the border.
Despite rising online chatter and repeated appeals from his family and party, Pakistani authorities have yet to issue a definitive update.
Imran Khan, founder of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), has been jailed since August 2023, serving a 14-year sentence in a corruption case. Rumours about his condition have surged in recent days, with some social media posts even alleging he has been “killed” in custody.
His family and party leaders have since demanded “proof of life”.
Speaking to ANI, Tharoor said the absence of any official statement from Pakistan had made the situation particularly troubling. “I think it’s not appropriate for us to comment on the internal affairs of another country. But it is certainly a matter of some concern that there is so much silence on this matter,” he said.
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View AllHe stressed that unverified claims had heightened public anxiety. “There are various people claiming that the worst has happened. But the Government of Pakistan and the authorities have not said anything. That silence is bad,” he added.
Tharoor also cited the public appeal by Imran Khan’s son, Kasim Khan, who has asked for confirmation that his father is alive.
“You saw the message from his son, saying that he wants proof of life that his father is alive. Apparently, nobody has provided any proof yet that his father is alive. That is a matter of some concern, and I speak only as an ordinary citizen of India; it is not a foreign policy matter for us.”
While acknowledging that the issue lies within Pakistan’s domestic sphere, he said it also carries humanitarian implications.
“That is an internal affair of Pakistan. But there is a human being at stake. There are cricket fans and others who would like to know what happened to the gentleman,” he said.
He added, “You can’t put somebody in jail and make him disappear. So, if something has happened, the authority should come clean on it, in my view.”
Pakistani officials deny ‘rumours’
Officials in Pakistan have dismissed the speculation. Rana Sanaullah, adviser to the Pakistan Prime Minister on political affairs, and senior PTI figures told Dawn that Imran Khan was “fine and nothing is wrong with him”.
Despite these assurances, PTI renewed its demand for access to the jailed leader, saying the party was increasingly worried as Khan had been denied meetings with both family members and legal counsel for more than three weeks.
Family members and supporters have staged protests outside Adiala Jail, demanding a meeting with him. A PTI delegation visited the prison again today, but officials once more refused permission.
Speculation intensified online after reports suggested the 73-year-old could be moved to a high-security facility, which would further restrict access. The hashtag “Where is Imran Khan?” trended on X, while Pakistan’s interior ministry remained silent.