Imran Khan's Son Demands Proof of Life as Former Pakistan PM Remains in Isolation

Imran Khan's son, Kasim, has called for an end to "inhumane isolation" of his father.

Rumors and speculation about Pakistan's jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan's death have been circulating online for days, following an Afghan media report claiming he was killed inside Adiala Jail. His son, Kasim Khan, has now demanded proof of life and his father's release.

In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Kasim Khan stated that it has been 845 days since his father was imprisoned. For the past one and a half months, he has been kept in a death cell without any family contact.

"For the past six weeks, he has been kept alone in a death cell in an environment of complete isolation. His sisters have been barred from every meeting, despite clear court orders. No phone calls, no meetings, and no news of his well-being. My brother and I have not been able to contact our father in any way," Kasim wrote.

Kasim asserted that this "complete darkness is not part of any security protocol" and described it as a deliberate effort to conceal his father's condition and prevent his family from knowing about his whereabouts.

"Let it be clear that the Pakistani government and its masters will bear full legal, moral, and international responsibility for my father's safety and every consequence of this inhumane isolation," he added.

Kasim appealed to the international community and human rights organizations to intervene. He listed several demands, including confirmation that his father is alive, access according to court orders, an end to "inhumane isolation", and the "release of Pakistan's most popular political leader, who has been imprisoned solely for political reasons."

Aleema Khanum, one of Imran Khan's three sisters, has also claimed that the family has been repeatedly denied meetings with him.

"For the last 6-7 months, they have caused a lot of trouble; sometimes they let me meet him, sometimes they let one of my sisters meet him, sometimes they don't let anyone meet him. Many times, we wait outside for hours," Imran Khan's sister told NDTV in a telephone interview.

The Adiala Jail authorities on Thursday rejected rumors about Imran Khan's health, emphasizing that the leader is in "completely good health".

"The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (Imran's party) leadership has been informed regarding Imran Khan's health. All necessary care is being provided to the PTI chief," the Adiala Jail administration said in a statement.

The Adiala Jail administration further clarified that reports about moving Imran Khan from Adiala Jail are entirely baseless.

"Imran Khan is in Adiala Jail and is healthy. The social media rumors about his transfer are unfounded," the jail administration said.

The former Prime Minister has been in custody since August 2023 and faces dozens of charges that he claims are politically motivated.

He was convicted in a corruption case in January along with his wife and sentenced to 14 years and seven years, respectively.

Earlier in March, Imran Khan's party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), claimed that he was being kept in solitary confinement in a death cell.

"Imran Khan has been kept in a death cell; he has been kept in solitary confinement," PTI's central information secretary Sheikh Waqas Akram claimed. "Khan was kept in the death cell as the undertrial prisoner before he was convicted."