PTI Threatens "Last Option" as Imran Khan's Prison Isolation Raises Health Concerns

Khan has been incarcerated in Adiala Jail since 2023.

Islamabad:

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa's Chief Minister Sohail Afridi announced on Thursday that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) was contemplating its "last option" to secure a meeting with party founder Imran Khan after being repeatedly denied prison access. According to local media reports, this marked Afridi's eighth unsuccessful attempt to visit Khan in Rawalpindi's Adiala jail.

In his statement to reporters, Afridi explained, "November 27 was initially scheduled for Imran Khan's cases, but now December 20 has been designated. Since October 27, Khan's sisters, doctors, lawyers, and PTI leadership have all been denied visitation rights, intensifying our concerns. The authorities need to clarify their position because if this treatment persists, we will be forced to pursue our final recourse."

Afridi expressed frustration at being denied access despite possessing authorization from the Islamabad High Court (IHC). He confirmed writing to the Chief Justice regarding the matter but has received no response, according to Pakistan's prominent newspaper 'Dawn'.

The Chief Minister revealed that police had blocked him at Factory Naka, the same location where PTI recently organized a demonstration after previously being refused a meeting with Khan. He emphasized that the situation is "deteriorating" and questioned why court directives were being ignored by authorities.

On Wednesday, Rawalpindi's Adiala jail administration issued a statement refuting claims about Khan's transfer, affirming that the PTI founder remains "in good health" within the facility.

The prison officials stated, "Reports about his transfer from Adiala jail are entirely false. He is completely healthy and receiving comprehensive medical care," as reported by the leading Pakistani publication 'The News International'. Officials dismissed health-related rumors as "unfounded" and maintained that Khan's wellbeing was being properly monitored.

Khan, detained since August 2023, confronts numerous legal challenges including corruption and terrorism charges following his removal from power through a no-confidence vote in 2022.

The jail administration's clarification comes amid PTI's demands for government transparency regarding rumors about Khan's condition, with calls for arranging a meeting between the PTI founder and his family.

The party's requests intensified after Khan's sisters were recently denied visitation privileges, prompting questions about his whereabouts. Following claims of Khan's death circulating on social media platform X, PTI urged the government to "definitively refute these rumors and immediately facilitate a meeting between Imran and his family members."

(This article has not undergone editing by NDTV staff and is automatically generated from a syndicated source.)