Where is Imran Khan? Ex-Pak PM's sisters demand proof of life amid murder rumours in Adiala Jail

(FILES) Activists of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party of former country's prime minister Imran Khan, take part in a public rally on the outskirts of Islamabad on September 8, 2024. (Photo by Farooq NAEEM / AFP)

Concerns have surged across Pakistan over the fate of former Prime Minister Imran Khan, as his sisters demand to meet him amid rumours that he may have died in jail. The controversy deepened after claims of a violent police assault on his sisters outside jail gates and persistent uncertainty about Khan’s condition.

The alarm was first raised after Taliban-linked and Afghan media outlets published unverified reports suggesting that Imran Khan was “mysteriously killed” inside Adiala Jail. Pakistani authorities quickly denied the claim. Still, his family says repeated refusals to allow them to visit him, coupled with physical harassment of his sisters during protest attempts, have undermined confidence in any official denial.

The latest incident took place last week outside Adiala Jail, where Khan has been held. According to media reports, on the night the family tried to visit him, his sisters -- Aleema Khan, Uzma Khan and Noreen Niazi -- along with other supporters staged a peaceful sit-in after being denied entry. As tensions escalated, police reportedly responded with force. According to eyewitness testimonies and videos shared online, women officers dragged Noreen across the road by her hair and forcibly detained the group.

In her own words, Noreen said, “They held my arm, dragged me by my legs.” Aleema said her sister was “practically unconscious” during the assault, and the family accused police of ripping their chaddors and subjecting them to violence.

The police action has sparked outrage from the former prime minister’s party (PTI) and civil society groups, who describe it as “state-sanctioned oppression” designed to bar all contact with Khan.

Family’s repeated pleas ignored

This is not the first time Imran Khan’s family has been prevented from meeting him despite court orders. Earlier this year, his sister Aleema told reporters that authorities barred her from meeting him, even though a court had expressly allowed regular visits. Khan’s lawyers and family members have repeatedly filed petitions before the Islamabad High Court, accusing the jail administration of contempt and denying their right to access.

In April 2025, Aleema said the denial of visits by the jail authorities amounted to a “blatant violation of court orders” and threatened legal action. Yet even after court rulings and formal requests, the family’s access remains blocked, leading to deep mistrust.

Rumours of death feed public anger

In recent days, social media and some foreign media outlets have amplified unverified claims that Imran Khan may have been secretly killed in jail. These rumours gained traction after police forcibly blocked his family’s attempts to visit him. Thousands of supporters reportedly gathered outside Adiala Jail demanding proof of life, but authorities have remained silent on the matter.

The lack of transparency has inflamed public sentiment and weakened confidence in Pakistan’s justice system. Many view the refusal to allow visits and the assault on women protesters not as isolated events, but as attempts to suppress dissent and silence a political rival.

Imran Khan’s supporters, civil-society actors and sections of the media have united in calling for an independent inquiry into his health and safety. They demand immediate access to the former prime minister and regular updates about his condition.