Former Pakistani Prime Minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party founder Imran Khan is being subjected to mistreatment in Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi, his sister Aleema Khan claimed on Wednesday. Her remarks came as family members and PTI party supporters gathered in large numbers outside Adiala Jail to protest against the detention conditions and restricted access of Khan.
"We have been coming here for the last 8 months. We come here and sit every Tuesday. We are not allowed to meet Imran Khan. They are torturing him. He has been kept in illegal isolation. They should end this torture against Imran Khan," Aleema said outside the jail.
Aleema Khan's statements underscore the family’s mounting alarm over her brother's physical isolation and treatment. The protests drew numerous PTI supporters who voiced serious concerns regarding Khan's health and security while he serves sentences following multiple convictions.
The family’s worries intensified after a rare, 20-minute meeting on 2 December, when Khan’s other sister, Uzma Khanum, was finally granted access nearly a month after all communication had reportedly been cut off. Following the visit, Khanum stated that her brother appeared physically fine but was facing "psychological torture" due to solitary confinement and restrictions.
Crucially, Khanum further stated that Imran Khan personally blamed Pakistan’s Army Chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir, for orchestrating the "mental torture" he was enduring in jail.
The Pakistan Army swiftly and sharply rejected these claims. The military issued a strong rebuttal, characterizing the former premier as mentally unstable and narcissistic, and accusing him of spreading anti-military narratives via his family.
Soon after, the government took steps to bar Uzma Khanum and other family members from future visits, citing violations of prison rules, with officials suggesting that political discussions occurred during the meeting.
Pakistani Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar said: "There is no room in the [prison] rules for political discussions, and it was reported that political discussions occurred, so meetings are now banned for Uzma Khan. This won't happen."
Tensions rise between PTI and govt
The demonstration outside Adiala Jail was met with strict security deployment, reflecting the heightened tensions between PTI supporters and the ruling authorities.
The situation was escalated by the presence of senior PTI leaders, including Secretary General Salman Akram Raja and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provincial chief Junaid Akbar Khan, who joined the sit-in. Their participation signalled the party's growing frustration after repeated attempts to meet Khan were rejected by jail authorities, despite a standing court order permitting visits on Tuesdays and Thursdays, according to Dawn newspaper.
The restrictions and the subsequent political fallout have deepened the political crisis, leaving concerns about the former prime minister's treatment in custody at the forefront of the nation's political discourse.
