 "Supporters of the former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan's party, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), carry a cutout of him, as they gather, to protest what they call a black day and a stolen mandate in last year's general election, during a rally in Swabi, Pakistan on February 8, 2025. Reuters File")
Amid rising concerns over Imran Khan’s health and questions about his whereabouts, sources in his party, Pakistan Tehrik-i-Insaf (PTI), have told CNN-News 18 that the former Prime Minister of Pakistan has been tortured in Rawalpindi’s Adiala jail and kept in near-complete isolation.
For days, family and party leaders have said they have been barred from meeting Khan. Rumours of Khan’s death have also been swirling on social media.
PTI insiders have said that Imran has been beaten and subjected to high-intensity confinement.
Separately, Imran’s former aide, Zulfi Bukhari, has said that Imran has not been seen no one had seen Imran since November 4, and no reason has been provided for denying meetings, according to Dawn.
‘They won’t be able to stop us’: Imran’s sister amid fears for Imran’s health
Imran’s sister Aleema Khanum told CNN-News 18 that Pakistani regime would not be able to stop the party and the people when they would rise against them.
While Khanum said that something was definitely wrong, she rejected the idea of the regime killing Imran in prison.
Khanum said, “They wouldn’t [kill Imran in jail]. People would turn on them. People will not spare them—and they won’t find a flight out of the country."
Khanum further said, “Why aren’t they letting us meet him? Why create this attention? It would be so simple if they allowed him to meet his family and party workers…It is only a matter of time before the anger among Pakistani citizens over the treatment of former prime minister Imran Khan spilled onto the streets.”
Khanum said that mass protests were only a matter of time.
“It’s [street demonstrations] are going to happen. It’s not a matter of if but when. And it’s all leading toward the same thing…And when the agitations begin, they won’t be able to stop them," Khanum said.
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View AllSeparately, sources told CNN-News 18 that Imran’s physical condition is not great and the deterioration is happening slowly. They said the reason for worsening health is sustained pressure, harsh treatment, and restricted communication.
Earlier Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi, who is from PTI, was routinely allowed to meet Imran, but sources sources have said that those meetings created the ruse that Imran’s health was right. Now even Afridi has been barred from meeting Imran.
Imran’s sister files petition in court
Aleema Khan, Imran’s other sister, has filed a contempt of court petition against Adiala jail’s superintendent and others over their failure to comply with an earlier Islamabad High Court (IHC) order that mandated a twice-a-week meeting schedule for Imran, according to Dawn.
The petition came after Khyber Pakhtunkhwa CM Afridi and others staged an overnight protest after they were denied weekly meetings with Imran for the eighth time in a row.
Aleema said in the petition that she wa “remained deeply concerned about the well-being, legal rights, and humane treatment of her brother during his ongoing incarceration”.