ISLAMABAD: Kasim Khan, son of jailed Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan, has voiced deep concerns over his father’s safety, claiming that authorities are withholding crucial information about the ex-prime minister’s condition.
The remarks come amid protests and sit-ins staged by the PTI and Imran’s sisters outside Adiala Jail, where he has been imprisoned, after being denied court-ordered meetings for over three weeks. Despite judicial orders mandating weekly visits, Kasim said the family has had no direct or verifiable contact with Imran.
“Not knowing whether your father is safe, injured, or even alive is a form of psychological torture,” Kasim said in written remarks shared with Reuters. “Today we have no verifiable information at all about his condition. Our greatest fear is that something irreversible is being hidden from us.”
The family has repeatedly requested access for Imran’s personal physician, who has been barred from examining him for more than a year. An Interior Ministry spokesperson did not respond to requests for comment. Meanwhile, a jail official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Imran is in good health and that there are no plans to move him to a higher-security facility.
Imran, 72, has been in jail since August 2023 following convictions in multiple cases he describes as politically motivated, including the Toshakhana case, the cipher case, and the Al-Qadir Trust corruption case, which carry combined prison sentences of decades. The PTI maintains that these prosecutions aim to prevent his participation in public life and elections, including those held in 2024.
Kasim said the lack of communication has intensified the family’s fears, which he believes are part of a deliberate attempt to isolate Imran. “This isolation is intentional. They are scared of him. He is Pakistan’s most popular leader, and they know they cannot defeat him democratically,” he said.
The last time Kasim and his brother Suleiman Isa Khan, who live in London with their mother Jemima Goldsmith, saw their father was in November 2022 after an assassination attempt. “That image has stayed with me ever since. Seeing our father in that state is something you don’t forget. Now, after weeks of total silence and no proof of life, that memory carries a different weight,” Kasim said.
The family is pursuing domestic and international avenues, including appeals to human rights organisations, to have court-ordered access restored immediately. “This is not just a political dispute. It is a human rights emergency. Pressure must come from every direction. We draw strength from him, but we need to know he is safe,” Kasim said.
Jemima Goldsmith also criticized recent comments by Defence Minister Khawaja Asif suggesting the sons could meet Imran, pointing out that they are not even allowed phone contact.
The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) expressed concern over the limitations on Imran’s access to family and lawyers.
In a statement on X, the HRCP said, “Allegations indicating that he has been unable to meet close relatives, associates, or legal counsel warrant urgent clarification, as regular and unhindered access to immediate family and counsel is a fundamental safeguard against isolation and misuse of detention powers.”
The body urged the federal government and Punjab Home Department to ensure all practices comply with constitutional and international standards for humane treatment.
