The PTI has demanded a clarification from the government regarding recent “rumours” about the health of jailed party founder Imran Khan, calling on authorities to immediately arrange a meeting between the former premier and his family.
The development comes as Imran’s sisters have in recent weeks been repeatedly denied a meeting with him, leading them to question the whereabouts of the ex-prime minister and stage sit-ins outside the Adiala jail. Further, several social media accounts on X have shared unverified claims of his death, with Indian media also reporting on the alleged rumours about his health. The trend ‘Where is Imran Khan?’ was also trending on X on Thursday morning.
In a statement issued early on Thursday on social media platform X, the party said “rumours of a despicable nature” were being spread from “Afghan and Indian media, and foreign social media accounts” regarding Imran’s health.
The party demanded that the “current government and the interior ministry immediately and clearly dismiss and clarify the rumour and immediately arrange a meeting between Imran and his family”.
“A formal and transparent statement should be issued on behalf of the state regarding the health, security and current status of Imran,” the party demanded.
It further called on the state to investigate those responsible for spreading rumours of a “sensitive nature” and demanded that the “facts be presented before the nation”.
The party, in its statement, warned that “the nation will not tolerate any uncertainty regarding the status of its leader (Imran)”.
“The government is directly responsible for protecting Imran’s security, human rights and constitutional rights,” the party said. The PTI also vowed to take “every legal and political step to counter these rumours and bring the truth to light”.
Earlier on Wednesday, Defence Minister and PML-N leader Khwaja Asif had responded to a video on X in which Imran criticised ex-prime minister Nawaz Sharif for demanding amenities while in jail.
“He (Imran) himself has a TV in his jail cell … and his food comes from outside,” he claimed.
“There are exercise machines available for him as well,” he added.
Asif, recalling his own time in prison, said, “We used to sleep on the cold floor and eat the food at the jail.”
He continued: “It was the month of January, and we had only two blankets, and there was no hot water.”
On the other hand, Imran, he alleged, had “a double bed and velvet bedding”, claiming that the jail superintendent personally tended to him.
Asif called on the PTI founder to “listen to his own speech on the jail’s loudspeaker,” adding that “he (Imran) should fear God.”
Imran, imprisoned since August 2023, is serving a sentence at the Adiala jail in a £190 million corruption case and also faces pending trials under the Anti-Terrorism Act related to the protests of May 9, 2023. The party has also previously raised concerns over the health of Imran, who is 72-years old.
