KP Chief Minister Sohail Afridi arrives to meet Imran Khan at Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi. Photo: Reuters
RAWALPINDI:
Political tensions deepened on Thursday as the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) stepped up demands for access to its jailed leader Imran Khan, with the party citing health concerns, repeated refusals to hold meetings and growing frustration over what it calls illegal isolation.
PTI spokesperson Zulfikar Bukhari said no one from Khan’s family or legal team had seen him since November 4, stating that the lack of information about his condition had raised fears about his well-being. He insisted that immediate access must be granted.
A PTI delegation tried again to meet Khan on Thursday but was denied access, Bukhari said, adding that weekly meetings permitted under the jail manual were suspended without explanation. He said long periods without contact had become increasingly frequent.
Political unrest spread when Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Chief Minister Sohail Afridi staged a sit-in after heavy police deployment prevented him from reaching Adiala Jail for what he said was his eighth peaceful attempt to meet Khan.
Afridi accused authorities of defying court orders, arguing that a representative of 250 million citizens should not be repeatedly obstructed. He said his province was being treated like a “stepchild” and warned that growing resentment threatened to damage national cohesion.
Speaking at the Gorakhpur check post, Afridi said the PTI had exhausted all legal and democratic channels and claimed that the government lacked authority in the matter. He said repeated voting irregularities had eroded public confidence, citing extremely low turnout in the last by-election.
Afridi also accused the government of economic mismanagement and referred to the IMF’s criticism of fiscal governance. He claimed that 5.3 trillion rupees in corruption remained unaddressed and argued that rising unemployment was driving young Pakistanis to leave the country in increasing numbers.
He later marched again towards Adiala jail before he was detained, prompting PTI workers to join him in a prolonged roadside protest. Many supporters eventually dispersed, although Afridi remained seated with a small group for nearly two hours.
In Islamabad, the Senate session also became heated as PTI senators protested what they described as solitary confinement and restricted access for Khan. Senator Faisal Javed said neither his family nor his lawyers had been able to meet him for several weeks.
Responding in the House, Minister of State for Home Affairs Talal Chaudhry insisted that Khan was receiving meetings strictly in accordance with the jail manual, with weekly slots designated for family members and legal representatives. He said no officer would risk violating court-ordered supervision.
Chaudhry further detailed the facilities provided to the former prime minister, including chicken meals, an exercise machine, six large barracks, a television, a physiotherapist and a personal cook. He argued that these amenities were within permissible limits and did not reflect any violation of the rules.
The minister criticized what he called unnecessary protests outside the prison, saying a small group routinely organized sit-ins despite knowing the meetings were being held under judicial supervision. He claimed that recent by-election defeats showed a decline in public support for such demonstrations.
PTI parliamentary leader Barrister Ali Zafar rejected Chaudhry’s comments, saying the facilities were irrelevant and demanding a firm date for the next meeting. He refused to submit a committee report until the matter was resolved, prompting the adjournment of the Senate session until Friday.
Khan has been imprisoned since August 2023 and is serving a 14-year sentence on corruption charges. His party says prolonged isolation violates prison rules. Online campaigns boosted the hashtag “WHEREISIMRANKHAN”.
Speculation circulated in local media about Khan’s possible transfer to a more restrictive facility, although a senior prison official told Reuters that the former prime minister was in good health and that no transfer was planned. The official did not want to be identified for protocol reasons.
(AGENCIES WITH CONTRIBUTIONS FROM THE NEWS DESK)
