Pakistan’s jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan has been denied access to his family and lawyers for more than three weeks, prompting his party on Thursday to demand an immediate prison meeting and voice growing concern over his health.
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 in order for the army to keep him out of politics, a charge the military denies.
Zulfikar Bukhari, spokesperson of Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party, said no one has seen Khan since Nov. 4, and no reason has been given for not granting a meeting. Khan is being denied visits and medical support despite his status as 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.
A delegation from the party visited the prison to see Khan on Thursday, but authorities again denied access, Bukhari said.
Prison rules allow Khan to meet outsiders at least once a week, although prison 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.
A jail official told Reuters that the former prime minister 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 authorised 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 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, but 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.