Desk Report:
Former Pakistani Prime Minister and legendary cricketer Imran Khan is currently being held in a special cell in Rawalpindi’s Adiala Jail, which is usually reserved for death row inmates. His family and supporters have alleged that he is being kept in solitary confinement in inhumane conditions, which amount to physical and mental torture.
On Tuesday (September 30), the UK-based media outlet The Times reported that the 72-year-old Khan is currently alone in a 9-foot by 11-foot cell. Supporters claim that he is being held in solitary confinement for 22 hours a day. He is not allowed to talk to anyone, and even meetings with his lawyer and family are sometimes canceled.
In this situation, Imran Khan’s two sons, Suleman and Qasim, have appealed to the United States and other world leaders to free their father. Qasim said in an interview, “My father is an elected former prime minister. He is kept in a cell where there is no light, air or proper medical care. This is not only for us, but also a major violation of human rights.’
After his arrest in August last year, Imran Khan was sentenced to 14 years in prison in January this year in a corruption case. It was alleged that he and his wife Bushra Bibi had accepted land as a bribe from a real estate businessman. Bushra was also sentenced to the same term in the same case. Apart from this, more than 300 other cases are pending against Imran on various charges including corruption and leaking state secrets. However, his party Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has claimed that these cases are politically motivated.
A letter written by Imran Khan was recently secretly brought out of prison. It was later delivered to the Chief Justice. In the letter, Imran wrote, ‘I have been kept in solitary confinement, not even books and newspapers are being given. The only person who is being denied visits is Army Chief Asim Munir.’ He referred to it as illegal detention and mental torture.
The family’s concerns have increased over Khan’s health. He has not seen a doctor for a long time. Supporter Zulfiqar Bukhari said, “We do not know how his health is now. He has been kept in conditions similar to those of death row convicts.”
On the other hand, the government has denied these allegations. Interior Minister Talal Chowdhury claims that Imran is meeting his family regularly, has separate food arrangements for him, and has even been provided with exercise equipment. The government says that Imran and his party are presenting themselves as victims to gain political advantage.
Imran Khan’s political journey began in 2018 when he was elected with the support of the military. However, after just four years, he lost power due to poor relations with the army. Currently, the PTI claims that Imran is being removed from politics in collusion with the army and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
Imran’s two sons recently went to Washington to try to attract international attention. Their mother and Imran Khan’s ex-wife Jemima Goldsmith said, “This is not politics, it is personal revenge.”
Pakistan has been under military rule for half of its history. According to analysts, Imran Khan and his supporters are the biggest losers in this conflict between the military and political forces. They fear that despite his political popularity, Imran is being exhausted in prison.
