Pakistan’s PTI Demands Access to Jailed Ex-PM Imran Khan Amid Health Concerns

The party of imprisoned former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan on Thursday demanded immediate access to him, saying he has been held in isolation for more than three weeks without contact with family or lawyers.

Khan, jailed since August 2023 and serving a 14-year sentence on corruption charges he claims are politically motivated, has not been seen by anyone outside prison staff since Nov. 4, according to Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) spokesperson Zulfikar Bukhari.

«We are worried about his illegal isolation,» Bukhari told Reuters, calling on authorities to allow his family to visit and to provide medical support.

Khan’s relatives and party workers have staged protests outside the Rawalpindi prison, and plan further demonstrations as the hashtag #WHEREISIMRANKHAN trend grows on social media. Prison rules allow weekly meetings, though authorities can suspend access.

Local media have reported that the 73-year-old may be moved to a high-security facility, raising further concerns within PTI.

A jail official, speaking anonymously, told Reuters that Khan is in good health and that there are no plans to transfer him.

Khan, ousted in 2022 after a fallout with Pakistan’s military leadership, remains a central figure in national politics. His arrest last year triggered nationwide unrest and a sweeping crackdown on PTI. The party won the most seats in the 2024 election but alleges widespread rigging enabled rivals to form the government under Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif — claims the coalition denies.