ISLAMABAD (Kashmir English): Pakistan’s government has rejected allegations by the family and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) that imprisoned former prime minister Imran Khan is facing “cruelty, mental torture, punitive solitary confinement and medical neglect.”
According to The Washington Post, the Ministry of Information described the allegations as baseless and said prison and medical records did not support the claims.
The ministry said Khan is being held as a “convicted prisoner” serving sentences imposed by courts following judicial proceedings, rather than under a government detention order.
Government Denies Solitary Confinement Claims
Khan’s sister, Uzma Khan, said at a news conference that she was at PIMS when her brother was brought there overnight. She claimed Khan told her that authorities had kept him in solitary confinement, which she described as mental torture.
PTI leader Suhail Afridi also accused the government of violating the court order by taking Khan to a public hospital. Khan’s personal physician, Dr Faisal Sultan, said he had gone to Shifa International Hospital and waited there for Khan until early Friday.
The Ministry of Information rejected the solitary confinement allegations and said Khan had received more than 900 visits from family members, lawyers, doctors, political representatives and other approved visitors since his imprisonment in 2023.
The ministry said Khan is allowed weekly meetings with his wife and can communicate with relatives in Pakistan and abroad through telephone, landline and WhatsApp.
According to the ministry, Khan last spoke by telephone with one of his sons on March 21, while his sisters met him on August 18 and 19.
Government Cites Medical Records and Prison Facilities
The government also rejected allegations of medical neglect, saying Khan had undergone around 30 examinations by specialists and medical boards from institutions including PIMS, Shifa International Hospital, Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital and Al-Shifa Trust Eye Hospital.
It said Khan also receives regular medical examinations from the prison doctor.
The ministry further said Uzma Khan had acknowledged during Friday’s news conference that her brother was “100% fit,” with blood pressure of 120/80 and his eye condition almost completely healed.
The government also disputed claims about Khan’s detention conditions. It said he is housed in a seven-cell compound with sleeping, sanitation and exercise facilities. According to the ministry, he receives separately prepared meals including meat, chicken, fruit, milk, nuts, juices and bottled water.
Authorities said Khan was taken to PIMS instead of Shifa International Hospital because of security concerns after PTI supporters gathered outside Shifa or began heading towards the hospital.
The government maintained that Khan was found to be in good health following the medical examination.
