Rumours surrounding former Pakistan prime minister Imran Khan's "mysterious death" in jail have ignited a political row, prompting strong reactions from his family and the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI). The speculation intensified this week after Khan's three sisters—Noreen Khan, Aleema Khan and Uzma Khan—alleged that they were violently assaulted by Punjab police when they attempted to meet the incarcerated leader at Rawalpindi's Adiala Jail.
Khan, who has been lodged in Adiala Jail since 2023, has reportedly been kept in prolonged solitary confinement, with PTI claiming he has been denied even basic access to books, lawyers, and essential items. Amid growing concerns over his health, the government has imposed what PTI calls an "undeclared ban" on meetings for more than a month—fueling online rumors that the former PM had died in custody.
The situation escalated after Khan's sisters accused police of attacking them and PTI supporters as they peacefully waited outside the prison complex. In a letter addressed to Punjab Inspector General Usman Anwar, the sisters said the assault was "brutal, orchestrated and carried out without provocation."
According to Noreen Niazi, streetlights were switched off moments before police "pounced" on the group. "At the age of 71, I was seized by my hair, thrown to the ground and dragged across the road," she wrote, claiming she suffered visible injuries.
She further alleged that women present at the site were slapped, pushed and dragged by officers, despite the protest being entirely peaceful.
The sisters argued that the crackdown fits a broader pattern of "indiscriminate force" used against PTI supporters over the past three years. They urged the IGP to initiate immediate action against all personnel involved in what they described as a "criminal and morally reprehensible" attack.
PTI, condemning the incident, said Khan's sisters and supporters were targeted for the "crime of seeking a meeting" with the former prime minister. The party has demanded an impartial probe into the alleged police brutality and renewed calls for transparency about Khan's condition inside jail.
Concerns are growing as prominent political figures, including Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Sohail Afridi, have been repeatedly denied permission to meet Khan. Afridi reportedly made seven attempts but was turned away each time. PTI-linked lawyer Khalid Yousaf Chaudry claimed that "law of the jungle prevails," accusing authorities of withholding even basic rights from the imprisoned leader.
With rumours of Khan's death continuing to circulate online, the government has yet to issue a detailed clarification on his condition or the restrictions imposed on visitors. PTI maintains that the former prime minister is being held in extreme isolation, further intensifying speculation and political tensions across Pakistan.
