The sons of former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan have expressed deep concerns for their father’s safety, citing weeks of limited or no verified communication from Adiala Jail. Kasim Khan told Reuters that not knowing whether his father is safe or even alive amounts to “psychological torture.”
Despite court orders mandating weekly prison visits, the family says they have had no confirmed contact with Khan for months. Efforts to allow his personal physician access have also been blocked for over a year, escalating fears about his health.
A jail official, speaking anonymously, claimed Khan is in good health and dismissed rumors of a transfer to a higher-security facility. Khan, 72, has been imprisoned since August 2023 following multiple convictions in cases he and his party, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), allege are politically motivated. His convictions include lengthy sentences in the Toshakhana case, a diplomatic cable leak, and a separate graft case involving the Al-Qadir Trust.
Kasim and his older brother, Suleiman Isa Khan, who live in London with their mother Jemima Goldsmith, believe the isolation is deliberate. “They are scared of him. He is Pakistan’s most popular leader, and they know they cannot defeat him democratically,” Kasim said.
The last time the brothers saw their father was in November 2022, after he survived an assassination attempt. Kasim said the memory of seeing him injured has grown heavier due to the current silence. The family is seeking support from human rights organizations and is calling for immediate restoration of court-mandated access, emphasizing that this is a human rights issue, not just a political dispute.
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