Imran Khan’s sons, Kasim and Sulaiman, have accused Pakistani authorities of hiding “something irreversible” about their father’s condition, as nearly seven weeks have passed without any verifiable sign that the former prime minister is still alive. They say that despite repeated court orders allowing family visits, no communication has been permitted from Rawalpindi’s Adiala Jail, where Khan is reportedly being held in solitary confinement inside what his family describes as a “death cell.” The absence of phone calls, in-person meetings, or official health updates has intensified fears amid widespread rumours in Pakistan about Khan’s fate, while the military leadership under Army Chief General Asim Munir has remained silent.
Khan’s ex-wife, Jemima Goldsmith, backed the concerns online, stating that even basic phone contact has been blocked for everyone. Kasim has stressed that what the family is enduring is “psychological torture,” describing how they do not know whether Khan is safe, injured, or even alive. Last week, during the 845th day of Khan’s incarceration, Kasim said the blackout was a calculated effort to prevent the family from learning the truth about his condition.
The lack of transparency has heightened attention on Imran Khan’s final social media post on November 5, written shortly after a meeting with his sister. In it, he blamed one person — Army Chief Asim Munir — for what he described as the destruction of Pakistan’s rule of law, labelling him “the most tyrannical dictator in history” and accusing him of orchestrating the harsh treatment of both him and his wife, Bushra Bibi. Khan vowed at that time not to negotiate with what he called a military-controlled government under Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
Khan has been in prison since August 2023 following a series of corruption-related convictions that he and his supporters insist were politically motivated. His open confrontation with General Munir and the military establishment intensified after constitutional changes last year increased the army’s institutional power. Now, with communication cut off, prison visits blocked, and no official information about his condition, his family warns that Pakistan’s silence and secrecy suggest something far more serious than detention alone.
