‘Where is Imran Khan?’ trends as PTI seeks urgent meeting with jailed ex-PM over health concerns

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), the party of imprisoned former Prime Minister Imran Khan, on Thursday sought permission to meet him, expressing concerns about his well-being after more than three weeks without access to his family or legal team.

Khan has been incarcerated since August 2023 and is serving a 14-year sentence on corruption charges, part of a series of cases he claims were fabricated to sideline him politically, an allegation the military rejects.

PTI spokesperson Zulfikar Bukhari said that no one has been allowed to see Khan since November 4, and authorities have offered no explanation for the restrictions. He added that Khan is being denied both visits and medical attention despite being a former prime minister.

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”His health is our concern. We are worried about his illegal isolation,” Bukhari told Reuters, demanding the government give Khan’s family immediate access to him.

’Where is Imran Khan'

Khan’s family and party members have protested outside the jail in the garrison city of Rawalpindi in recent days demanding a meeting. They plan to visit the prison again on Thursday to press their demand, Bukhari said.

Prison rules allow Khan to meet outsiders at least once a week, although jail authorities can suspend such access. There have been long gaps spanning weeks when Khan was not allowed to meet outsiders, the party said.

Local media reported that the 73-year-old former international cricketer might be moved to a high-security prison to make meeting him more challenging.

Khan’s status has become a talking point on social media and #WHEREISIMRANKHAN was trending on X on Thursday.

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Pakistan’s interior ministry did not respond to a request for comment.

Khan healthy, no transfer planned: Jail official

A jail official told Reuters that the former premier was in good health, and that he was not aware of any plans to move him to any other facility. He spoke on the condition of anonymity as he is not authorised to speak to the media.

Khan, elected as prime minister in 2018, was ousted in 2022 through a vote in parliament after he fell out with military generals, who play a significant role in making or breaking governments in the Islamic country of 240 million people.

His arrest in May 2023 sparked protests against the military nationwide, leading to a crackdown on the party.

The party emerged as the single biggest in the 2024 election and says that rigging robbed it of more seats to help other parties form a coalition government under Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.

Sharif and his allies deny the charges.

With inputs from agencies