Pakistan ex-PM Imran Khan’s party demands meeting amid health worries

Supporters of imprisoned former Prime Minister Imran Khan chant slogans during a protest condemning a court verdict on the corruption case against Khan, in Peshawar, Pakistan, Friday, Jan. 17, 2025. (AP Photo/Muhammad Sajjad)

ISLAMABAD - The party of Pakistan’s jailed former prime minister Imran Khan demanded a meeting with him on Thursday, saying it was worried about his health as he has been barred from seeing his family and lawyers for over three weeks.

Khan has been in jail since August 2023, serving a 14-year sentence on corruption charges, one of dozens of cases he says were made up to keep him out of politics by the army, a charge the military denies.

Zulfikar Bukhari, spokesperson of Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party, said no one has seen Khan since November 4, and no reason had been given for not having a meeting. Khan is being denied visits and medical support despite his status of a former prime minister.

“His health is our concern. We are worried about his illegal isolation,” Bukhari told Reuters, demanding the government give Khan’s family immediate access to him.

‘Where is Imran Khan?’

Khan’s family and party members have protested outside the jail in the garrison city of Rawalpindi in recent days demanding a meeting. They plan to visit the prison again on Thursday to press their demand, Bukhari said.

Prison rules allow Khan to meet outsiders at least once a week, although jail authorities can suspend such access. There have been long gaps spanning weeks when Khan was not allowed to meet outsiders, the party said.

Local media reported that the 73-year-old former international cricketer might be moved to a high-security prison to make meeting him more challenging.

Khan’s status has become a talking point on social media and #WHEREISIMRANKHAN was trending on X on Thursday.

Pakistan’s interior ministry did not respond to a request for comment.

Khan in good health, jail official says

A jail official told Reuters that the former premier was in good health, and that he was not aware of any plans to move him to any other facility. He spoke on the condition of anonymity as he is not authorized to speak to the media.

Khan, elected as prime minister in 2018, was ousted in 2022 through a vote in parliament after he fell out with military generals, who play a significant role in making or breaking governments in the Islamic country of 240 million people.

His arrest in May 2023 sparked protests against the military nationwide, leading to a crackdown on the party.

The party emerged as the single biggest in the 2024 election and says that rigging robbed it of more seats to help other parties form a coalition government under Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.

Sharif and his allies deny the charges.

Reporting by Asif Shahzad; additional reporting by Mubasher Bukhari in Lahore, Pakistan; Editing by YP Rajesh and Ed Osmond, Reuters