In a separate political development, former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan is alive and conscious, his sister Dr Uzma Khan confirmed after meeting him in Rawalpindi’s Adiala Jail. Her remarks followed widespread rumours about Khan’s condition, which had triggered panic and public unrest across Pakistan. Speaking after a brief 20-minute interaction, Uzma Khan revealed that her brother complained of severe mental harassment and near-total isolation. According to her account, Imran Khan said he remained locked inside his cell throughout the day, allowed outside only briefly, and prevented from making contact with anyone. She added that the former prime minister was visibly upset and believed that the treatment was intended to break him psychologically.
In the meeting, Khan held Army Chief General Asim Munir directly responsible for his imprisonment and deteriorating condition. According to the statement later issued by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), Imran Khan described Munir as a leader acting with extreme vindictiveness, claiming that the military establishment had exhausted every tactic against him and now posed a threat to his life. He reportedly told his sister that if anything happened to him, the accountability would lie squarely with the army chief and the head of the ISI. PTI has alleged that Imran Khan is being kept in solitary confinement and deprived of electricity, sunlight, clean drinking water, medical attention and other basic facilities typically granted to inmates. The party has accused the government and the security establishment of using inhumane methods to silence political opposition.
As rumours about Khan’s death spread rapidly, authorities imposed a curfew in Rawalpindi, banned public gatherings and halted political activities. The government justified the clampdown as a precaution against unrest fuelled by PTI supporters demanding transparency on Khan’s health and access to him in prison. It was only after mounting pressure that Uzma Khan was permitted to meet her brother, helping to briefly quell the speculation. The crises have deepened Pakistan’s domestic political turmoil at a moment when the country is already grappling with economic fragility and eroding public trust.
