Adviser to the Prime Minister on Political Affairs Rana Sanaullah and senior PTI leaders on Thursday dismissed reports of former premier Imran Khan’s ill health, with both sides stating that the PTI founder is ‘fine and nothing is wrong with him’.
The PTI demanded a meeting with the incarcerated leader earlier today, saying the party was worried about his health as he has been barred from seeing his family and lawyers for over three weeks. Imran has been in jail since August 2023, serving a 14-year sentence on corruption charges.
His family and party members have protested outside Adiala Jail in recent days, demanding a meeting. A party delegation visited the prison to see Imran today, but authorities again denied access.
Amid media reports that the 73-year-old former international cricketer might be moved to a high-security prison to make meeting him more challenging, international media outlets such as Japan’s Nikkei and the BBC also covered the concern over his status.
Questioned about the controversy in an interview, the adviser said: “This is absolutely wrong. His health is fine and taken care of. There is a team of doctors that checks him on a weekly and daily basis [and looks after his] medicine, diet, facilities [and] exercises.” He said Imran was getting everything befitting his position and status. Sanaullah also denied reports of Imran’s transfer, saying nothing of the sort had happened and he was still present in Adiala jail.
The prime minister’s adviser added that the court had to be informed in case of such a transfer.
Similarly, PTI Senator Ali Zafar also dismissed the reports in an interview.
Imran’s younger son, Kasim Khan, also highlighted in earlier social media posts that his father was jailed in “really poor conditions” that were “getting worse by the moment”.
In a post on X, he once again said: “For the past six weeks, he (Imran) has been kept in solitary confinement in a death cell with zero transparency. His sisters have been denied every visit, even with clear court orders allowing access. There have been no phone calls, no meetings and no proof of life. Me and my brother have had no contact with our father.”
Meanwhile, KP Chief Minister Sohail Afridi staged a sit-in near Adiala Jail’s Factory Naka on Thursday after being denied a meeting with PTI founder Imran Khan for the eighth time. Afridi warned that if the authorities continue their stance, PTI would consider a “final option,” without specifying what it entails.