Last week, news spread in the press about the killing of Pakistan's imprisoned former Prime Minister Imran Khan. The "Afghanistan Times" media portal was cited as the initial source of the news.
However, official sources denied the information. It was noted that Imran Khan is alive and his imprisonment continues.
Despite this, Imran Khan's family cannot get news from him. Modern.az reports that the former prime minister's son, Qasim Khan, stated this in an interview with "Reuters" news agency.
His son is seriously concerned about the lack of any confirmed information regarding Imran Khan's condition.
Qasim said that the family has not received any proof of their father being alive for the past three weeks. Despite the court allowing weekly visits, all visits have been blocked, and the family's direct contact with Khan has been severed.
“Not knowing whether your father is safe, injured, or even alive is psychological torture. The last information we received was months ago, and its authenticity cannot be confirmed,” – Qasim stated. He added that the family's personal doctor has also not been allowed to examine Imran Khan for over a year.
The Pakistan Ministry of Interior did not respond to questions on the matter. A prison official, who wished to remain anonymous, stated that Imran Khan is “in good health” and said he had no information about plans to transfer him to a higher-security facility.
72-year-old Imran Khan has been facing imprisonment since August 2023 on various criminal charges. He was initially found guilty of illegally selling gifts while in office, then received a 10-year prison sentence for leaking a diplomatic document, and a 14-year sentence in a separate corruption case. Khan calls the charges politically motivated.
The main reason for the family's concern is a complete information blockade. Television channels have been instructed not to use Khan's name or image. A single, low-quality court photo of him taken after his arrest remains on the internet.
Qasim and his brother Sulaiman Isa Khan currently live in London with their mother Jemima and prefer to stay away from Pakistan's political life. They last saw their father in Pakistan in November 2022 – after the assassination attempt against him.
