Former Pakistan PM Imran Khan healthy but isolated in jail, his sister says
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Imran Khan is suffering from isolation after weeks of being denied access to relatives, his family have said.
Khan has been in jail since his August 2023 arrest after he was handed a three-year prison term for illegally selling state gifts.
Now two of his three sisters have spoken out about the former Pakistani prime minister’s plight.
Uzma Khanum was the only family member permitted to meet him in Adiala jail, Rawalpindi, where supporters of his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party had gathered to protest against the conditions of the 73-year-old’s detention.
Ms Khanum said that Khan, a former cricketer, is facing isolation and psychological strain in prison following weeks in which his family said access had been blocked.
“He’s physically well,” said Ms Khanum. “But he’s kept inside all the time, and only goes out for a short while. There’s no contact with anybody.”
The meeting took place under strict supervision, said Ms Khanum, though she declined to provide further details.
PTI says routine prison visits have been blocked for weeks despite court orders, fuelling rumours about his condition and possible prison transfers.
‘Suppressing the people’
One of Khan’s other sisters Aleema Khan told The World with Yalda Hakim that she believes Pakistani authorities were isolating him as an attempt to “suppress the people of Pakistan”.
“I think they are operating out of fear. He represents 90% of this country. How can you put a person who represents 90% of the country in jail?
“They basically want to suppress the people of Pakistan. They don’t want their voice to be heard and they are standing behind Imran Khan. They thought if they isolated [him] people will forget him.”
Authorities deny any mistreatment, and say that Khan is receiving all entitlements available to prisoners.
Ahmed Hassan Al-Arabi, an advisor to Pakistan’s Ministry of Information, told Sky News: “The jails are there as a punishment. They are there for the criminals to stop the evil from the criminals emanating into the society.
“If it has to become a political hub, there is no point of jail. Imran Khan’s sisters have been given access [to him].
“There is no distinction between politicians and Imran Khan’s family members, unfortunately“.
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Khan served as prime minister from 2018 to 2022.
He has claimed that the charges against him are politically motivated – and aimed at blocking his political career.
Khan’s wife, Bushra Bibi, is serving time in the same prison over corruption, but they are not allowed to see each other except when they appear in court, his supporters have said.
