Imran Khan death rumours swirl; Pak govt, PTI say he’s ‘completely fine’

Pakistan’s government and senior leaders of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Thursday jointly moved to quash mounting speculation about Imran Khan’s health, insisting the former prime minister is stable and receiving regular medical care inside Adiala Jail.

Rana Sanaullah, adviser to the Pakistan Prime Minister on Political Affairs, told Dawn that Imran was “fine and nothing is wrong with him”, dismissing social media claims that the 73-year-old’s condition had deteriorated. His remarks echoed the Adiala Jail administration, which earlier issued a statement saying Imran was in “completely good health” and that “all necessary care is being provided to the PTI chief”.

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PTI leaders, however, renewed their demand for immediate access to the jailed party founder, stressing that he has been kept without contact with family members or lawyers for more than three weeks. Imran, convicted in a corruption case and serving a 14-year sentence since August 2023, has been at the centre of growing concern from supporters and relatives.

In recent days, family members and PTI workers have staged demonstrations outside Adiala Jail, urging authorities to allow them to meet him. A PTI delegation that visited the prison again today was turned away, with officials declining access for the second time this week, reported ANI.

The rumours intensified online after suggestions that Imran could be moved to a high-security facility -- a change that would further restrict his interactions. The topic surged across social media platforms, with “Where is Imran Khan?” trending on X, even as the interior ministry refrained from issuing any clarification.

Speaking on ARY News, Sanaullah said fears about Imran’s condition were misplaced. “This is absolutely wrong. His health is fine and taken care of. There is a team of doctors that checks him on a weekly and daily basis [and looks after his] medicine, diet, facilities [and] exercises,” he said.

He also denied any plans to transfer the former prime minister, saying such a move would require court approval.

PTI Senator Ali Zafar backed the government’s assertions but maintained that a meeting was urgently needed to verify Imran’s condition firsthand.

“Thank God, the news is baseless, but it is even more important after this report that the government immediately allow us the opportunity of a meeting so we can go and see for ourselves,” he said on DawnNewsTV. He added that PTI had raised the matter in the Senate and urged Minister of State for Interior Talal Chaudhary to facilitate a visit. “We think it is very necessary that a meeting is facilitated with Imran; it’s been a month,” he told Dawn.

PTI Central Information Secretary Waqas Akram also pushed back against what he described as “misleading narratives”, insisting “the government cannot harm Imran Khan.”

Interior Minister of State Talal Chaudhary, speaking to Geo News, similarly dismissed the rumours. “These reports are completely false, and they should not be trusted. These are deliberately spread ... this is wrong; his health is completely fine, and he is well,” he said, adding that jail authorities had already shared updates in response to the speculation.

Despite official assurances, the party and Imran’s family continue to sound the alarm over the conditions of his confinement. His younger son, Kasim Khan, has repeatedly claimed Imran is being kept in “really poor conditions” that are “getting worse by the moment”. In a post on X, Kasim said his father had spent six weeks in solitary confinement inside a “death cell” with “zero transparency”.

“His sisters have been denied every visit, even with clear court orders allowing access. There have been no phone calls, no meetings and no proof of life. Me and my brother have had no contact with our father,” he wrote, calling the “absolute blackout” a “deliberate attempt” to conceal Imran’s condition.

Appealing for international intervention, Kasim urged “the international community, global human rights organisations and every democratic voice” to demand proof of life, enforce court-ordered access and end what he described as “inhumane isolation”.